ProtoVolgaic

ProtoVolgaic is a hypothetical reconstructed proto-language, believed to be the common ancestor of the Volgaic languages. The Volgaic languages are a branch of the Finnic languages, which are themselves part of the larger Uralic language family. The reconstruction of ProtoVolgaic is based on comparative analysis of its descendant languages, including Mari (Hill Mari and Meadow Mari) and Udmurt. Linguistic evidence suggests that ProtoVolgaic speakers inhabited a region in the vicinity of the Volga River, likely during the first millennium CE. Key features attributed to ProtoVolgaic include a complex system of noun cases, agglutinative morphology, and a phonological inventory that is thought to have been distinct from Proto-Finnic. Research into ProtoVolgaic aims to shed light on the early history and diversification of the Finnic languages and the migrations of their speakers. Scholars continue to refine the reconstruction and debate specific phonetic and grammatical details.