But there is a lot of evidence for PIE *xan(n)os 'grandmother': Hit.
hannas, Lycian xNna-, Armenian han, dialectal Old Greek annis, ano:,
OHG ana (all meaning 'granny'), Latin anus 'old woman' (short a, but
near-homonymous with a:nus, which is why in some European
languages "old lady" functions or used to function as a euphemism
for "arse"). Hittite huhhahannis (*xauxo-xan(n)o-es) was a "dvandva"
compound meaning 'grandparents'. The full reduplication in Hannahanna
may have been inspired by Hattic usage, but the name itself seems to
be Hittite; it means 'greatgrandmother' vel sim.
Piotr
--- In cybalist@egroups.com, "John Croft" <jdcroft@...> wrote:
> Glen wrote concerning the Nostratic reconstruction of *ana as
mother.
>
> This would tie in with the Khattic goddess Hannahanna as (Mother's
> mother). It has been suggested that this is the origin of
> Innana - Sumerian
> Ana-t - Syro-Cannanite
> Ath-ana - (Athene - Greek)
> Ana-hita (Persian)
> St Anne (Christian)
>
> Interesting - the old Mother Goddess with a Nostratic name!
>
> Regards
>
> John