From: Patrick Ryan
Message: 40317
Date: 2005-09-22
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel J. Milton" <dmilt1896@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 8:24 AM
Subject: [tied] Re: Ianus - PIE Origin?
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@...> wrote:
> > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "alexandru_mg3"
> <alexandru_mg3@...>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Could somebody help with a PIE root and the derivation of Ianus
> > >
> > > I could find PIE *ia: from the PIE *ei - 'to go'
> > >
> > > URL:
> > > http://64.233.183.104/search?
> > > q=cache:d2b35w8ckmAJ:www.bookrags.com/other/religion/janus-eorl-
> > > 07.html+Ianus+indo+european&hl=en
> > >
> >
> > I've seen him matched with 'Diana'.
> >
> >
> > Torsten
> *********
> Puhvel "Comparative Mythology", which I take as pretty reliable on
> etymology, has "Other figures had nonce names: the two-faced Janus was
> literally 'Gateway', the numen of entrances and beginnings."
> Dumezil "Archaic Roman Religion" has "The probable etymology of
> his name, a stem in -o, or, archaically, -a stem in -u- ... identifies
> him as 'passage'. It is built on the base *y-a-, an expansion of *ei,
> which, in the other Indo-European languages where it has produced a
> derivative, also indicates a passage: the Irish 'ath' ..from *ya-tu-
> means 'ford'." He also has a footnote doubting Ernout's suggestion
> that Janus may come from the Etruscan, "it is easier to imagine the
> transition of 'Janus' to Etruscan 'Ani' than the reverse."
> On the other hand, my 1857 Keightley's Classical Mythology, which
> is unreliable for etymology, but does generally get the facts of
> mythology straight, has "An ancient Latin name for the Moon was Jana.
> In the Salian hymns she was invoked as Deiva Jana, which became
> Deivjana, and ultimately Diana. ... The masculine of Jana is Janus."
> and goes on to speculate that, if Jana was the Moon, Janus must be the
> Sun (with some supporting, if not convincing, evidence).
> Dan Milton
***
Patrick:
The dualism expressed by Janus' two faces relates more easily to the
complementary waxing and waning phases of the moon. If Ja:na was the female
moon, Ja:nus was probably the male moon-god. As for an etymology, my choice
would be to derive them from *ya:-, speak excitedly, cast a spell'.
***