[SunkenCiv]

Until the Turks came in from the east, the Bulgars were the major longterm enemy of the Byzantines. The western Balkans were lost to various groups in succession, what is now Romania (Romanian has lots of loanwords from Slavic languages, as well as French and German) had fluctuating borders. I remember Kurt Gowdy talking about how in Romania, the universal nod for yes, shake for no was reversed as a consequence of having Turkish blades up against their throats with the question, do you accept Allah? :’)

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/romanian.htm

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/bulgarian.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrace

http://www.byzantium1200.com/aquaduct.html

[colorado tanker]

Thanks!