Proto-Iranian, or Proto-Iranic,[1] is the reconstructed proto-language of the Iranian languages branch of Indo-European language family and thus the ancestor of the Iranian languages such as Persian, Sogdian, Zazaki, Ossetian, Mazandarani, Kurdish and others. Its speakers, the hypothetical Proto-Iranians, are assumed to have lived in the early 2nd millennium BC, and they are usually connected with the Proto-Indo-Iranians and early Andronovo archaeological horizon.
Proto-Iranian was a satem language descended from the Proto-Indo-Iranian language, which, in turn, came from the Proto-Indo-European language. It was likely removed less than a millennium from the Avestan language, and less than two millennia from Proto-Indo-European.
Phonological correspondences[edit]
| PIE |
Av |
PIE |
Av |
| *p |
→ |
p |
*ph?ater "father" |
pitar- "father" |
| *bʱ |
→ |
b |
*bʱréhater "brother" |
bratar- "brother |
| *t |
→ |
t |
*tuhxóm "thou" |
tvm "thou" |
| *d |
→ |
d |
*doru "wood" |
dar- "wood" |
| *dʱ |
→ |
d |
*dʱohxneha- "grain" |
dana- "grain" |
| *kʲ |
→ |
s |
*dékʲm? "ten" |
dasa "ten" |
| *gʲ |
→ |
z |
*gʲónu "knee" |
zanu- "knee" |
| *gʱʲ |
→ |
z |
*gʱʲimós "cold" |
z?maka- "winterstorm" |
| *k |
→ |
x ~ c |
*kruharós "bloody" |
xrura- "bloody" |
| *g |
→ |
g ~ z |
*haéuges- "strength" |
aojah "strength" |
| *gʱ |
→ |
g ~ z |
*dl?hxgʱós "long" |
dar?ga- "long" |
| *kʷ |
→ |
k ~ c |
*kʷós "who" |
ko "who" |
| *gʷ |
→ |
g ~ j |
*gʷou- "cow" |
gau- "cow" |
| Proto-Indo-Iranian |
Avestan[2] |
Old Persian |
Persian |
Vedic Sanskrit |
| *aćva ("horse") |
aspa |
asa (native word)[3] |
اسب asb (horse) |
aśvaḥ |
| *bʱag- |
baγa |
baj- (baji; "tribute") |
باج bâj (tax) |
bhag- (bhaga) |
| *bʱratr- ("brother") |
brātar |
bratar |
برادر barâdar (brother) |
bhratŗ |
| *bʱumi ("earth", "land") |
|
bumi |
بوم bum |
bhumi |
| *martya ("mortal", "man") |
mašiia |
martya |
مرد mard (man) |
martya |
| *masa ("moon") |
māh- |
maha |
ماه mâh (moon, month) |
masa |
| *vasara ("early") |
|
vahara ("spring") |
بهار bahâr (spring) |
vasara ("morning") |
| *arta ("truth") |
aša |
arta |
(?) راست râst (correct) |
ŗta |
| *draugʱ- ("falsehood") |
druj |
draug- |
دروغ dorugh (lie) |
druh- |
| *sauma "pressed (juice)" |
haoma |
|
|
soma |
References[edit]
