The Extinct Votyak Language: Ancient Ancestor of Modern Bulgarian

Votyak (also known as Votian or Votiak) is an extinct South Slavic language that was spoken in the region of Votia, which is located in present-day Bulgaria. The language was spoken by the Votians, a South Slavic tribe that lived in the area around the 9th to 12th centuries.

The Votyak language is considered to be one of the most ancient South Slavic languages and is believed to have been the ancestor of the modern Bulgarian language. However, it is not known when exactly the Votyak language ceased to be spoken, but it is thought to have been replaced by the Bulgarian language sometime between the 12th and 14th centuries.

There are only a few written records of the Votyak language, including some place names and personal names found in medieval documents. The language is also attested through some loanwords in the Old Church Slavonic language and in the modern Bulgarian language. Despite its extinction, the Votyak language has played an important role in the history of the South Slavic languages and has contributed to the development of the modern Bulgarian language.