02-21-2014, 09:18 PM
That is what happened. Attila was a title given by the Germanic peoples below him that describe him (Atta and -la). Rugila was the same. Very few Huns are actually called by Hunnic names, and then those names are Latinized or Grecized.
We don't know what Attila's name was (although it probably ended in a varaint of -cur). Gothic, according to Priscus, was the lingua franca of the Huns. He does distinguish that there was indeed a Hunnic language.
It is known most good rulers spoke many languages. Greek was rare amongst Huns (as their relationship was predominately with Aetius and the West.) Aetius himself probably spoke Hunnic, along with Latin, Greek, and Gothic. Attila probably knew Latin, Gothic, Slavic, and Hunnic.
We don't know what Attila's name was (although it probably ended in a varaint of -cur). Gothic, according to Priscus, was the lingua franca of the Huns. He does distinguish that there was indeed a Hunnic language.
It is known most good rulers spoke many languages. Greek was rare amongst Huns (as their relationship was predominately with Aetius and the West.) Aetius himself probably spoke Hunnic, along with Latin, Greek, and Gothic. Attila probably knew Latin, Gothic, Slavic, and Hunnic.
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