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For teaching purposes only; do not review, quote or abstract.

[References for this review may be found at <Nyland>]

 

              [Note:  All Basque words are in Italics and Bold-faced Green]

 

SLAVIC NAMES ORIGIN *

[Contacts]

 

 

Introduction

 

          An ancient language form that originated in the North African area of our most ancient civilizations has been studied by Nyland (2001).  He found that many words used to describe names of places and things in Slavic languages seem to be closely related to the ancient language, which is being called Saharan.  It appears that the Basque language is a close relative to the original Saharan.  Following is a discussion of this relationship:

 

          Some linguists have suggested that elements of Basque words can be detected in many East European names and words. In the following analysis of a number of Ukrainian, Russian and Polish names Nyland (2001) searched for the Basque element and found that all Slavic names are agglutinated using Basque vowel-consonant-vowel (VCV) roots with frequent use of VCCV endings and with the vowels interlocking. This form of word agglutination was done with the "VCV vowel interlocking formula". For more information, see the Ogam Script and book "Linguistic Archaeology".

 

 

NAMES ENDING IN "SKI"

 

          A large number of names end in -ski, so let us look at the suffix "-ski", an ending common to Polish, Ukrainian, Serbian and Russian family names. The suffix "-ski" can have many meanings in Basque. The reader must keep in mind that the English "s" in Basque is spelled as "z" while the letter "s" in Basque is pronounced as a soft "sh". This means that the Slavic suffix "-ski" may have originated from "-ski or -zki". These two suffixes have a number of meanings in Basque:

 

aski     revenge, sufficient, frequently
azki     N.A.
eski     stairs, ladder, to offer
ezki     linden tree, irritable, small bell, belltower, bellringer
iski      pin, needlecase, weapon, joke, mockery
izki      shrimp, letter of alphabet, to write
oski     shoes, cobbler, coward, afraid
ozki     susceptible to the cold
uski     N.A.
uzki     anus, get lost!, remains, leftovers
 
Some examples of -ski names:

The "v" in Slavic names is always represented by a "b" in Basque, the "c" by a "k".

Bogolyubski,  bog-oli-ub.-.ski,
bog     bog     boga            rower, boatman
oli     oli  
  oliodura          anointed, holy
ub.     ubi  
  ubil                whirlpool
.ski    iski 
  iskirio             mockery, joke


(They made) a mockery of the holy boatman in the whirlpool. This refers to the annual voluntary
sacrifice of a young man in the whirlpool of Corryvreckan.

 

Gzovski, .g.-.zo-ob.-.ski,
.g.        ega                 egarri               strong desire
.zo       azo                 -azo                   to bring about, to make happen
ob.       oba                obakuntza       improvement
.ski aski                     askietsi            sufficient, adequate
 
He has a strong desire to bring about adequate improvements. 
 
Khmelnitsky, Bogdan, .bo-og.-.da.-an.  .k.-.h.-.me-el.-.ni-it.-.ski,
.bo     abo     aboskatu                     to proclaim
og.     oga     ogasun                         property, land
.da     ada     adarkadura                 ramification
an.     ana     anaiguda                     civil war 
.k.     ako     akordio                         agreement
.h.     oho     ohoragarri                   honorable
.me     ome     omenaldi                   tribute
el.     ela     ela                                   talk, negotiation
.ni     ani     anitz                               many
it.     itxi    itxi                                    to abandon, to lay down
.ski    iski    iskilo                             weapon
 
Proclaim our land at the outcome of the civil war. The honorable agreement
is a tribute to the many negotiations (achieving) the laying down of weapons. 
 
Orlovski, or.-.lo-ob.-.ski,
or.       ora                 oraindanik                         from now on
.lo        alo                  alokairu                              salary
ob.       oba                obakuntza                           improvement
.ski aski                     askiki                                   adequately
 
From now on my salary is adequately improved. 
 
Pavlovski, .pa-ab.-.lo-ob.-.ski,
.pa       opa                opa izan                              longing for
ab.       aba                 abadune                              opportunity
.lo        alo                  alokairu                             salary, earn money
ob.       oba                obakuntza                           betterment, improvement
.ski aski                     aski                                      sufficient, enough
 
I am longing for an opportunity to earn a salary sufficient for improvement.
 
Palubiski, .pa-alu-ubi-is.-.ki,
.pa       ipa                  ipartar                                 northern
alu       alu                  alukeria                              repulsive action
ubi       ubi                 ubil                                      whirlpool
is.        isu                  isuri                                     to inspire
.ki        uki                 ukitu                                    to touch, to move
 
The repulsive action (i.e. sacrifice) in the northern whirlpool inspired and touched me. 
 
Prezewalski, .p.-.re-eze-al.-.ski, (the "w" is usually meaningless)
.p.        ape                 apellaniz                            pasture
.re        ere                 erreka                                 stream
eze      eze                 ezeizabarrena                    under the fir trees
al.        ale                  aleketa                                grain in abundance
.ski eski                     eskindu                               to offer
 
In the pasture by the stream under the firs we offered them grain in abundance. 
 
Sekuterski .se-eku-ute-er.-.ski
.se       ase                 asezindako                        craving for
eku      eku                ekurutasun                        peace of mind
ute       ute                 utea                                      to encourage                       
er.        era                 erakuste                             education
.ski aski                     aski                                      adequate
 
"Craving for peace of mind? Encourage adequate education!"
 
Starokadomski: .sta-aro-oka-ado-om.-.ski,
.sta esta                     estali                                    to shelter
aro       aro                 aro                                       weather
oka      oka                okaztagarri                        disgusting
ado      ado                adoretasun                        courage
om.     ome               omen egin                          to pay tribute
.ski eski                     eskini                                   offering, devotional
 
Sheltered from the disgusting weather we paid tribute (to their) courage with a devotional. 
 
Stravinski, .s.-.tra-abi-in.-.ski,
.s.        asa                 asarredun                          angered
.tra atra                     atrapala                             noise, sound
abi       abi                  abiatsuki                            impulsively
in.        ina                  inarrosketa                        to shake
.ski aski                     askitan                                frequently, often
 
When angered by the sound, he often shook impulsively. 
 
Riasanovski, .ri-asa-ano-ob.-.ski,
.ri         iri                   irritsatu                              to yearn for
asa       asa                 asagotu                               to go far away
ano      ano                ano                                       food supply
ob.       oba                oba                                       better
.ski aski                    askiki                              plentiful
 
He yearned to go far away with a better and more plentiful food supply. 
 
Tchaikovski, txai-aiko-ob.-.ski,
txai txai                     txairo                                   graceful
aiko aiko                   aiko maikoka                    making excuses
ob.       oba                obakuntza                          improvement
.ski aski                    aski                                  enough, satisfactory
 
Gracefully making excuses (and showing) satisfactory improvement.
 
          It is safe to assume that all -ski names have such sentences written 
in them, although not all yield their hidden sentence as readily as the ones above did. 

 

NAMES ENDING IN "ITCH"

 

The ending "-itch" can also have several meanings. In Basque the sharp "sch" is
written as "x", which spelling will be used here:

itxa      to await, to hope, to trust, expectation, sea
itxe      N.A.
itxi       to shut in, to close, to abandon, to denounce, to permit
itxo      to wait, waiting room
itxu      aspect, appearance, absurd, similar, to simulate, hypocrite, 
            imposter, pretense, to transform
 
Adamovitch, ada-amo-obi-itx.,
ada      ada                 adatz                                    long hair, long braids
amo     amo               amona                                 grandmother
obi       obi                 obi                                        grave
itx. Itxi                      itxiarazi                               to enclose
 
Grandmother's long braids were enclosed in her grave.
 
Mostovitch, .mo-os.-.to-obi-itx.,
.mo     amo               amona                                 grandmother
os.       oso                 oso                                       simple
.to        oto                 otoi                                       prayer
obi       obi                 obi                                        grave
itx. Itxi                      itxi                                        to close
 
(After) grandmother's simple prayer the grave was closed. 
 
Rabinovitch, .ra-abi-ino-obi-itx.,
.ra        era                 erauntsi                              violent storm
abi       abi                  abiatu                                  to begin
ino       ino                 inon                                     somewhere
obi       obi                 obiratu                                to bury
itx. itxa                      itxaso                                   sea
 
A violent storm is beginning; bury (him) somewhere at sea. 
 
Topalovitch, .to-opa-alo-obi-itx.
.to        ato                 ator                                      Come!
opa      opa                opari egin                          to give
alo       alo                  alorgizon                           farmer
obi       obi                 obiratze                              burial
itx. itxu                      itxurazko                           decent
 
Come, let's give the farmer a decent burial. 
'alo' could also stand for alogereko (mercenary): 
 
Come let's give the mercenary a decent burial.
 

 

NAMES ENDING WITH "KO"

 

Another common ending is -ko which may come from:

ako: agreement, contract, tradition, memory
eko: to produce, fertile, ecology, economy, administrator
iko:  lump, swelling, stonemason's hammer
oko: cattle stable, pasture next to the house, chin, dewlap
uko: refusal, negative, elbow

Atamanenko, ata-ama-ane-en-.-ko,
ata     ata    ataldu                                                to divide
ama     ama   
ama                                                 mother
ane     ane   
anega                                               measure of grain
en.     ena   
-ena plural                                         possessive suffix
.ko     ako   
akordiozko                                       according to tradition, as usual


Mother divided our measure of grain according to tradition.

Bracco, .b.-.ra-ak.-.ko
.b.            abe        
abe                                           cross
.ra            era         
erakasle maisu                      teacher
ak.            aka       
akatsbako                               perfect   
.ko            ako       
akorduan euki                       to remember


"Remember our perfect teacher of the cross."

 

Macarenko, .ma-aka-are-en.-.ko,
.ma     ama    ama                                                   mother
aka     aka   
akabu                                                perfect
are     are   
arrera                                                 reception, welcome
en.     ene   
enetan                                               always
.ko     eko   
ekoizkor                                            productive, lavish, generous


Mother's perfect welcome was always generous.

 

 

SOME OTHER TYPICALLY SLAVIC NAMES


Baranof, .ba-ara-ano-ob.,
.ba     aba    abade                                                 priest
ara     ara   
arrapatu mozkorra                            to get drunk
ano     ano   
ano                                                    wine
ob.     oba   
obaez                                                 of course


The priest got drunk on wine, of course.

 

Baryluk, .ba-ari-ilu-uk.,
.ba       eba                 ebaskindegi hide-out
ari        ari                  arinari eman                     to escape
ilu        ilu                   iluntasun                           darkness
uk.       uka                ukan                                    to have
 
He escaped from his hiding place during darkness.  
 
Boyar, .bo-oia-ar.,
.bo     ebo     eboluzionatu                                 to develop, cultivate
oia     oia     oian                                                  forest
ar.     ara     arazo                                                 task
 
Cultivating the forest (is their) task. 
 
Cossack,  ko-os.-.sa-ak.,
ko      ko      kontaezinbesteko                          innumerable/all the people
os.     osa     osatu                                               to unite
.sa     asa     asaben                                            ancestral
ak.     ako     akordu                                            tradition/memory
 
Unite all the people in the ancestral tradition. 
 
Dmitriev, .d.-.mi-it.-.ri-eb.,
.d.        idu                 iduki                                    to have
.mi       umi                umiltasun                          humility
it.         ita                   itxaro                                   to trust
.ri         ari                  -ari                                       mission
eb.       eba                 ebanjelari                          evangelist
 
Have humility, and trust in the evangelist's mission. 
 
Dumala, .du-uma-ala,
.du       idu                 iduki                                    to have
uma     uma               uma                                     child
 ala ala                       alaitu                                   to fill with joy
 
Having a child fills (me) with joy.
 
Dzogan, .d.-.zo-oga-an.,
.d.     ida     idatziz                                               to record
.zo     azo     azokalari                                        merchant
oga     oga     ogasun                                          wealth
an.     ane     anega                                              grain measure, supply
 
He records the wealthy merchant's grain supply. 
 
Gorbachov, .go-orba-axo-ob.,
.go       ego                 egoera                                 manner of behaving
orba orba                  orbaingabe  pure
axo      axo                 axoladun                           careful, diligent
ob.       obe                obengabe                            blameless
 
His behavior is pure, diligent and blameless. 
 
Gulag .gu-ula-ag.
.gu       egu                 egur                                     punishment, wood
ula       ula                  ulaka/uluka                                            wailing/crying out
ag.       aga                 agaka                                  hitting with a stick
 
"He cried out after being hit with a stick in punishment."
 
Karasik, .ka-ara-asi-ik.,
.ka     ika     ikaserazi                                           to teach
ara     ara     arrai                                                 gentle
asi     asi     asialdi                                               beginning
ik.     ika     ikasgale                                             desire to learn
 
Gentle teaching creates a desire to learn. 
 
Korelus, .ko-ore-elu-us.,
.ko       ako                akorduan euki                  to remember
ore       ore                 orekan                                 to keep your balance
elu       elu                  elurlera                              sled
us.       usa                 usatu                                    to get used to
 
Remember to keep your balance when getting used to your sled. 
 
Korolef, .ko-oro-ole-eb.,
.ko    ako            akorduan euki          to remember
oro    oro            oroegile                     Creator
ole       ole                  oles egin                             to call upon
eb.       ebe                 ebertar                                 Hebrew, Jesus
 
Remember the Creator by calling upon Jesus. 
 
Kowalchuk, .ko-al.-.txu-uk.,
.ko       ako                akorduan euki                  to remember
al.        ala                  alaitasun                            happiness
.txu atxu                    atxuri                                   newborn lamb
uk.       uki                 ukitu                                    to touch
 
Remember your happiness when you touched the newborn lamb? 
 
Landau, .la-an.-.da-au
.la        ala                  alabeharreko                     unavoidable
an.       ana                 anarkia                               anarchy
.da       ada                 adarkadura                        ramification
au        au                   auhen                                  lament, suffering
 
The unavoidable ramification of anarchy is suffering. 
 
Ligachev, .li-iga-atxe-eb,
.li         ili                    ilinti                                     fiery
iga       iga                  igartze                                 prophesying
atxe atxe                   atxeki                                  to adhere to, to be determined
eba      eba                 ebanjelari                          evangelist
 
Fiery, determined, prophesying evangelist.
 
Mazowsze (Mazovshe), .ma-azo-ob.-.xe, (Polish singing/dancing group)
.ma      ama               amaikatxo                         many
azo      azo                 azoka                                   market day
ob.       obe                obeki                                    good
.xe       exe                 exeri                                    to sit down
 
Many market days it is good to sit down (and listen). 
 
Monomakh, .mo-ono-oma-ak.-.h.,
.mo     amo     amodiotsu                                    loving
ono     ono     onon                                             wonderful
oma     oma     oma                                              grandmother, tribal mother
ak.     ako     akorduan euki                              to remember
.h.     oha     ohardun                                          thoughtful
 
Remember our wonderfully thoughtful tribal mother.
 
          Vladimir Monomakh was the grandson of Yaroslav the wise, the Great 
Lawgiver; from his name it appears that Yaroslav the Wise must have been 
a woman. See Yaroslav below.
 
Pashnik, .pa-ax.-.ni-ik.,
.pa       opa                opa izan                             longing for
ax.       axo                 axolagabetsu                     carefree
.ni        oni                 onik                                     safe 
ik.        ike                  ikertaldi                              visit
 
Longing for a carefree and safe visit. 
 
Pecheneg, .pe-eche-ene-eg.,
pe      pe      pena ukan                                        to suffer
exe     exe     exeri                                                 to sit
ene     ene     -enerako                                         before
eg.     egu     egur                                                  punishment
 
(Let them) sit and suffer before punishment. 
 
Pierzchala, .pi-er.-.z.-.txa-ala,
.pi        ipi                   ipini                                     to acquire
er.        era                 erakuste                              education
.z.        azi                  aziarazi                               to raise
.txa itxa                     itxaro                                   hope
ala       ala                  alaitasun                            happiness
 
Acquiring an education raises the hope for happiness. 
 
Polovtsy, .bo-olo-ob.-.tsi,
.bo     ebo     eboluzionatu                                  to develop, process
olo     olo     olo                                                     oats
ob.     oba     oba                                                   better
.tsi    atsi    atximurkari                                       pincher, roller
 
You process the oats better in a roller. 
 
Prokopchuk, .p.-.ro-oko-op.-.txu-uk.,
.p.        opo                oporrak                               vacation
.ro       oro                 oroitu                                  to remember
oko      oko                okolu                                   stable
op.       opa                opa izan                              to long for
.txu atxu                    atxuri                                  newborn lamb
uk.       uki                 ukitu                                    to touch
 
Remember the stable on our vacation where you longed to touch the newborn lamb? 
 
Ranogajek, .ra-ano-oga-aje-ek.,
.ra        ara                 arrapatur mozkorra to get drunk
ano      ano                ano                                       wine
oga      oga                 ogasun                                homemade
aje       aie                  aiene                                    grief, suffering
ek.       eka                 ekarrarazi                           to cause
 
Getting drunk on home-made wine causes grief. 
 
Rasputin, .ra-as.-.pu-uti-in.,
.ra        ara                 arakintza                           massacre
as.       asa                 asarrekeria                        shocking
.pu       apu                apurtzaile                          destructive
uti        uti                  utikan                                  go away, get out!
in.        ino                 inola                                    in any way possible
 
A shocking and destructive massacre! Get out in any way possible. 
 
Razin, .ra-azi-in.,
.ra     ira                      iraultzatu                          to revolt
azi     azi                     azitoki                                birthplace
in.     ine                     inertzia                               downtrodden
 
Revolt for our downtrodden birthplace. 
 
Shatalin, xa-ata-ali-in.
xa        xa                   xalo                                      open/frank
ata       ata                  atalgabeko                          uncomplicated
ali        ali                   alizan                                  capable
in.        inu                 inuritze                                inspiring
 
"Uncomplicated, capable and inspiring".
 
Slavoj Zizek,  .s.-.la-abo-oi
.s.        osa                 osatu                                    to unite
.la        ala                  alafede                                I swear
abo      abo                abotskatu                            to proclaim
oi         oi                    oinlegedi                             constitution
 
"I swear to unite us and proclaim the constitution."
 
.zi-ize-ek.
.zi        ezi                  eziketa                                 education
ize       ize                  izendu                                 famous
ek.       eka                 ekarri                                   to bring
 
"Famous for bringing education."
              
Skorepa, .s.-.ko-ore-epa,
.s.        asa                 asagotu                               to go away
.ko       ako                akorduan euki                  to remember
ore       ore                 oren                                     hour
epa      epa                 epaialdi                               trial
 
If you go away, remember the hour of the trial. 
 
Slutskaya, .s.-.lu-uts.-.ka-aia,
.s.        asa                 asaldagarri                        shocking
.lu        alu                  alukeria                             repulsive action
uts. utsi                     utziezin                               unavoidable
.ka       ika                  ikara                                    terror, horror
aia       aia                  aiaia                                    grief, suffering
 
The shockingly repulsive action caused unavoidable horror and suffering. 
 
Stalin, .sta-ali-in.,
.sta asta                     astapotro                            brutish, in a brutish way
ali        ali                   alienatu                              to kill a person
in.        ino                 inola                                    in any way possible
 
In a brutish way he kills people any way possible. 
 
Tarasof, .ta-ara-aso-ob.,
.ta        ita                   itxaro                                   to hope for
ara       ara                 araberatasun                     agreement
aso      azo                 -azo                                      to bring about
ob.       oba                obakuntza                           improvement
 
We hope for agreement to bring about improvement.
 
Volnitza, .bo-ol.-.ni-itza,
.bo     abo     aboskatu                                         to proclaim
ol.     ola     oleazio                                               destiny
.ni     eni     eni                                                       to me, us 
itza    itza    izaldun                                               honorable
 
Proclaim an honorable destiny for us. 
 
Vsevolod and Mikhalko (brothers), .b.-.se-ebo-olo-od.  .mi-ik.-.ha-al.-.ko,
.b.     oba     obakuntza                                        improvement
.se     ase     aseguratu                                         to insure
ebo     ebo     eboluzionatu                                 the develop, produce
olo     olo     olo                                                     oats
od.     odi     odi                                                     tube, drum, rolled
 
The improvement insured the production of rolled oats. 
 
.mi     ami     amilura                                             falling water
ik.     ika     ikaserazi                                             to teach
.ha     aha     ahalizan                                           to make possible
al.     ale     aleketa                                                abundance of grain
.ko     eko     ekoiztu                                              to produce, to process
 
He teaches how falling water makes it possible to process grain in abundance. 
 
          The translation of these names tell a very different story from that in the history books. 
 
Yaroslav the Wise, .ja-aro-os.-.la-abe,
.ja     oja     oian                                                      forest
aro     aro     arroztu                                               to exile
os.     osa     osatu                                                  to unify, to unite
.la     ala     alafede                                                  I swear to
ab.     abe     aberkide                                            fellow countrymen, patriots
 
The forest exile swore to unify the patriots. 
 
From the name of her grandson, Monomakh, it appears that Yaroslav was a wise tribal mother.The true meaning of 
Slav, .s.-.la-av., osa-ala-abe is here revealed.  It has nothing to do with slavery, instead it means:
 
 "I swear to unite my fellow countrymen".
 
Zadaprushki, .za-ada-ap.-.ru-uxki,
.za       aza                 azaluts                                     insincere
ada      ada                 adarra sartu                           to deceive
ap.       ape                 apeta                                         tendency
.ru       eru                 errukigabe                              cruel, pitiless
uxki uxki                   uxkia miazkatzera                get lost!
 
(You are) insincere and deceiving (and have) a tendency to be cruel; Get lost! (what a name!) 
 
Zaporogian, .za-apo-oro-ogi-an.,
.za     oza     ozar                                                        arrogant
apo     apo     apokeria                                             insult
oro     oro     orobatu                                                 to unify
ogi     ogi     ogipuska                                               easygoing
an.     ana     anaitasun                                              brotherhood
 
Arrogant insults united the easygoing brotherhood. 
 

 

SOME SLAVIC GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

 

Chernobil, txer.-.no-obi-il.
txe       txerri              txerrizain                           swineherd
.no       ino                 inor                                      no-one
obi       obi                 obi                                        grave
il.         ile                   iletu                                      to mourn
 
No-one mourned at the grave of the swineherd. 
 
Dniepr, d.n-ie.p-.r
d.n       don                donetsi                                 to bless, the blessed one
ie.p. ihesp                ihespide                           means of escape
.r          ur                   ur                                          water
 
The blessed one's means of escape was by water. 
 
          (Probably referring to the Priestess Medea who escaped with Jason up the 
Dniepr river after taking the golden fleece from King Aietus. See "The Voyage of 
Argo" by Apollonius of Rhodes). 
 
Donetz, 
donetz                       donetzi                                to sanctify
 
The sanctified one. 
 
Irkutsk, ir.-.ku-utsik,
ir.         iri                   iri                                          city
.ku       iku                 ikustatu                              to visit
utsik utsik                 utsik                                     deserted
 
I visited the deserted city. 
 
Kamchatka, .ka-am.-.txa-at.-.ka,
.ka       ika                  ikaragarri                          frightening
am.      amo               amorro                                fury
.txa otxa                    otxoa                                   wolf
at.        ate                  aterbegabe                         unprotected, out in the open
.ka       eka                 ekantze                              to get used to.
 
Out in the open, the frightening fury of the wolves takes getting used to. 
 
Kiev, .ki-eb.,
.ki        oki                 okitu                                    totally, completely
eb.       eba                 ebanjeliotu                        to evangelize
 
Completely evangelized. 
 
Okhotsk, ok.-.ho-otsk
ok.       oka                okaztagarri                        disgusting
.ho       aho                ahozagarri                          astonishing
otsk otsok                 otsokeria                             brutality
 
Astonishingly disgusting brutality. 
 
Taymyr, tai.-.mi-ir.,
tai. taiu                      taiuera                                size,  appearance
.mi       umi                umildu                                to humble
ir.         ira                  iraganaldi                          migration, migrating herd
 
The size of the migrating herd is humbling. 
 
Vladivostok, .b.-.la-adi bo-osto-ok.,
.b.        aba                 abaroan egon                    to take refuge
.la        ala                  alabearreko                       necessary
adi       adi                  adi                                        watch out!
bo        bo                  bortxakeria                       violence
osto osto                   ostosketa                            rolling of the thunder
ok.       oki                 okildu                                  to be frightened
 
Watch out! It's necessary to take refuge. The violence of the thunder is frightening. 
 

 

WHO MADE UP THESE NAMES?

 

          It is obvious that these names could not have been invented by the people themselves. The system of agglutination is exactly the same as was used by the Benedictines and their grammarians in western Europe. It is well known that there was close cooperation between the eastern and western Christian churches in the 10th and 11th centuries, especially between the Pannonhalma Benedictines in Hungary and the monks from the Tyniec monastery in Poland and Kiev. The Kiev monastery of Pesherska Lavra was established in 1040, a few decades after these other two monasteries and the required linguists were apparently sent from there to Kiev to train the monks in the use of the Basque language

 

Pesherska Lavra
.pe - es. - .he - er. - .ska    .la - ab. - .ra
ope - esi - ihe - era - aska     ila - abe - era
opetsi - eziketa - ihesleku - eraspen - askamen     ilarteko - abegion - erantzun
to offer - education - shelter - devotion - pardon     lifetime - hospitality - to fulfill
"We offer education, shelter, devotion and pardon.   
Ours is a lifetime of hospitality and fulfillment."  

 

          The early cooperation is still remembered because in the summer of 1996 the head of the Russian Christian church planned to attend, with the Roman Catholic Pope, the 1000-year celebrations at Pannonhalma. Unfortunately, illness prevented the historic meeting from happening. There was probably no longer a source of educated Saharan/Basque speakers in Russia, so either these specialists were recruited in Liguria (northern Italy) and Euskadi (northern Spain) and sent east, or the linguists worked from Basque dictionaries, without being able to speak the language. Possibly some of both happened.

 

     Bibliography