Glen Gordon:
>> Menrva looks like native Etruscan because of the typical -va suffix,
>> which might be used for a collective sense, but I'm not sure what it
would
>> mean.
Chris G:
> I have seen some try to reconstruct a proto-form, *Menesua, relating it to
> the moon and to menstruation.
Glen Gordon:
That would be great if Etruscan were an IE language... but it's only related
to IE at best, not part of it. The Etruscan word for "moon" is known to be
/tiur/ and I haven't seen any such "moon" word like *menes- outside of IE.
Plus, *-s- changes to -r- in _Latin_. We're not talking about Latin. We're
talking about Etruscan. So, we would be best to look for something along the
lines of preEtruscan *Mener-va instead. This *mener- looks like the plural
of something and this would go well with the -va suffix... but I still don't
have a clue as to what it might mean. Good try though.
<snip>
izzy:
I see no reason to not relate (Greek) Minerva to fertility, wisdom, and
useful arts. There seem to be Semitic roots related to these concepts.
Of course, there *is* a connection between menstruation and fertility.
For fertility:
MiN = kind, sort, type, sex, species, class, gender
MiNi = sexual, venereal
Compare English menarche, menopause, menses
[< Gk meno-, comb. form of mén = month; see MOON]
?aMaN = to bring up, nurture, foster [using ? for aleph]
RaVaH = multiply, propagate, increase, be numerous; breed, raise, bring
up
Compare English "white rabbit" (said on the 1st day of each
month)
R'ViYaH = increase, reproduction, propagation
For wisdom:
BiNaH = understanding, intelligence, reason, wisdom, intellect
[with a bet - M parallel, see below]
Compare English "spill the beans" and "he doesn't know beans
about...".
TVooNaH = intelligence, reason, understanding, wisdom, wit
RaV = teacher
For useful arts:
?iMooN = training, practice
?iMa:N = to educate, train
?aMaN = artist, master-workman, craftsman, expert
?aMaNooS= skill, art, craft [Aramaic/Talmudic]
Compare Eng manage [1555-65; earlier manege < It maneggiare to
handle, train (horses)].
manner [1125-75; ME manere < AF; OF maniere, n.
use of fem. of manier =
skilled, (earlier) worked by hand < L manuarius <
manu(s) = hand + -arius].
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The virgin Goddess related to the moon seems to be Artemis / Diana.
Artemis = ancient Greek goddess, identified by the Romans with Diana,
characterized as a virgin huntress associated with the moon, forests
and childbirth.
The word "rhythm" is probably connected with the goddess Artemis.
rhythm < Latin rhythmus < Greek rhythmós ~ Artemis
The syllables of Artemis occur in the following Semitic roots:
yod-resh-het yaray(akh)= moon
yod-aiyin-resh ya'ar = forest
yod-resh-heh yarah = shoot (arrow)
lamed-dalet-heh laydah = birth (L>R and D>T)
resh-oh-dalet-feh rodayf = hunter (D>T)
taf-alef-oh-mem ta'omim = twins
taf-oh-mem tom = perfect innocence, virgin
taf-mem-oo-saf tamoos = unblemished condition (Talmudic)
taf-mem-oo-saf-heh t'moosah = animal on the point of death (Talmudic)
I thought this was rather remarkable until I discovered
that Artemis has a Semitic origin.
What is rhythm / Artem[is] pronounced backwards?
Symmetry / meter = the rhythmic element in music
< Gk métron = measure
Compare Diana with dance = to move rhythmically,
usually to the accompaniment of music
izzy_cohen@...