centum or satem language, while it is undisputed that Thracian was a satem language by the Classical Period (the satem nature of proto-Thracian is disputed, Olteanu 2002). Due to the fragmentary attestation of both Illyrian and Thraco-Dacian, the existence of a Thraco-Illyrian branch remains controversial. Evidence of a Thraco-Illyrian branch has also been sought in the Albanian language, which might have developed from either a Thraco-Dacian language with Illyrian influences or an Illyrian language with Thraco-Dacian influences, or from a totally unattested Balkan Indo-European language that was closely related to Illyrian and Messapic. See also Albanian language Balkan sprachbund Classification of Thracian Dacian language Paleo-Balkan languages Romanian words of possible Dacian origin (and comparison with Albanian words) Albanian–Romanian linguistic relationship Thracian language Venetic language Notes The place of Paeonian remains unclear. Not much has been determined in the study of Paeonian, and some linguists do not recognize a Paeonian area separate from Illyrian or Thracian. The place of Ancient Macedonian is also undetermined. Paliga (2002) states: "It is therefore difficult to say whether the ancient Macedonians spoke an idiom closer to Thracian, Illyrian, Greek or a specific idiom." References Bibliography Georgiev, Vladimir. Paliga, Sorin. Pre-Slavic place-names. 2002. Indo-European linguistics Thracian language Dacian language