Re: [tied] Re: Alans etc.

Here is the relevant part of the Zelenchuk inscription in transliterated Greek script and in approximate (pre-)Ossetic transcription, with the orthodox translation (Zgusta 1987). As far as I know the only interpolated characters are those in brackets, and anyone who has eyes can see why they must be added.

sakhErE phourt khobs

EstorE phourt pakathar

pakatha(r)E phourt anpalan

a(n)palanE phourt lak

anE tzErthe

Saxiri furt Xovs, Xovs son of Saxir,

Istori furt Bäqätar, Bäqätar son of Istor,

Bäqätari furt Ämbalan, Ämbalan son of Bäqätar,

Ämbalani furt Lag; Lag son of Ämbalan;

ani c^irtä. (this is) their monument

In Digor, the more archaic of the two modern Ossetic dialects, we still have <-i> as the ending of the genitive (= Iron -y), and the word for "son" is <furt> (Iron fyrt) < PIr *puþra-. The metathesis *-þr- > -rt- is uniquely Ossetic. The word <c^irtä> (modern Ossetic cyrt) shows the same metathesis (Avestan c^iþra-, Khotanese tcira, Persian c^ihra 'visible sign, figure').

Piotr

----- Original Message -----
From: Alexander Stolbov

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 1:04 PM

Subject: [tied] Re: Alans etc.

The translation of Baksan's paragraph where he considers linguistic aspects of the Alanian problem follows:

<<There are only 3 inscriptions in the Alanian language made with Latin and Greek letters. In the work by Gothic historian of the VI-th century Jordan "Getika" (it is known that he was of the Alanian origin) traslators always come upon a "nonsensical" from their point of view phrase which can not be understood by them: "alano wu a". This phrase is the only one written in Alanian in the whole Jordan's work and can be easily translated from Veinakh as "he is an Alan" [Ya.S.Vagapov "Vainakhi i Sarmaty", Grozny, 1990]. Then, there is the Alanian inscription from the the Mayatskoe settlement consisting of only 2 words: "... alanui kan" (the beginning of the inscription with a person's name is lost). "Kan" is the Turkic word "prince". "Alanui kan" means in Veinakh "prince (kan) of Alans" and the word "alanui" is irreproachably formed according to the Veinakh grammar in Genitive plural [idem]. And finally, the famous Zelenchuk inscription which can be read in Veinakh without letters rearrangements and adding new symbols (what those, who would like to see Ossetic in the inscription language, have to do):"Jesus Christ, Saint Nikolai. Sons of the Sakhari kin: Khoba, son of Shita, Bagatar, son of Bagatar, Anbalan, son of Anbalan - these fine fellows perished on the plain. Lado" [Ya.S.Vagapov "O yazyke Zelenchukskoy nadpisi" - "Voprosy Vainakhskoy leksiki", Grozny, 1980]. (Lado is the name of the person who made this devoting inscription approximately in the X-th century). No matter how much statements like the following "I must to declare with the full responsibility: The Zelenchuk inscription has always been and will ever be Ossetic" is done, the fact remains - this Alanian inscription is made in a Veinakh language.>>

Then D.Baksan writes about a manuscript recently found by a historian from Jordan Abdul-Gani Hasan al Shashani in the al-Azkhar mosque in Cairo. This manuscript has been written by Azdin Vazar (born in 1395). Baksan claims that Azdin Vazar calls himself a man of "Alanian tribe Nokhchiy" and describes his islamic mission to the motherland (North Caucasus). Many Chechenian toponyms are mentioned in the manuscript; everywhere "Alan" and "Veinakh" are synonyms for Azdin Vazar.

I failed to find any information about this manuscript either in Latin or in Cyrillic sector of the Net. Perhaps something could be found in the Arabic sector?

Alexander