Lycaonian is an unclassified language spoken in the former region of Lycaonia. The Lycaonians appear to have retained a distinct nationality in the time of Strabo, but their ethnical affiliations are unknown. The mention of the Lycaonian language in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 14:11–12) shows that the native language was spoken by the common people of Lystra around 50 AD.[1]

The name "Lycaonia" is believed to be a Greek-adapted version (influenced by the Greek masculine name Lycaon) of an original Lukkawanna, which would mean 'the land of the Lukka people' in an old Anatolian language related to Hittite.[2]

It is notable though that in the Acts of the Apostles, Barnabas was called 'Zeus', and Paul was thought to be Hermes by the Lycaonians, which leads some other researchers^[who?] to believe the Lycaonian language was actually a Greek dialect.^{[citation needed]}

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