Lycaonian language

{{use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{short description|Unclassified extinct language or group of languages}}

{{Infobox language

|name=Lycaonian

|region=Lycaonia, Asia Minor

|extinct={{circa|50 AD}}

|ref=

|familycolor=unclassified

|fam2=Anatolian?

|fam3=Hittite? Luwian? Greek

|iso3=none

|glotto=none

}}

Lycaonian is an unclassified extinct language spoken in the former region of Lycaonia. The Lycaonians appear to have retained a distinct nationality in the time of Strabo, but their ethnical affiliations are unknown. The mention of the Lycaonian language in the Acts of the Apostles ({{Bibleverse|Acts|14:11–12}}) shows that the native language was spoken by the common people of Lystra around 50 AD.{{Cite web |title=Topical Bible: Lycaonia |url=https://biblehub.com/topical/l/lycaonia.htm |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=biblehub.com}}

The name "Lycaonia" is believed to be a Greek-adapted version (influenced by the Greek masculine name Lycaon) of an original Lukkawanna, which would mean 'the land of the Lukka people' in an old Anatolian language related to Hittite.{{Cite book |last=Palmer |first=Leonard R. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/33277350 |title=The Greek language |date=1996 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |isbn=0-8061-2844-5 |location=Norman, Oklahoma |pages=20 |oclc=33277350}}

It is notable though that in the Acts of the Apostles, Barnabas was called 'Zeus', and Paul was thought to be Hermes by the Lycaonians.