Linguistic and cultural contacts in Roman Nijmegen: insights from theonyms and non-standard variation in Latin inscriptions

Abstract

This article discusses epigraphic documents from the area of Nijmegen (Netherlands, Germania Inferior). They are investigated according to different methods, highlighting the need for a multi-factorial analysis that treats the evidence with contextual sensitivity, considering the writing material/object, the types of linguistic/graphemic features demonstrated and the possible backgrounds of the authors. This might help us understand levels of Latinization and which factors might have influenced linguistic choices. To achieve these results, evidence from theonyms, writing materials and phonological features is considered.