Re: Sanskrit Rta... and related terms

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "A." <xthanex@...> wrote:

> >
> > I know that the Sanskrit Rta, Sanskrit Ritu, and Avestan Asha
> > all ultimately derive from the PIE root *Ar- "to fit together"
> > but what I am unsure about are the intermediate stages between
> > *Ar- and the finished terms.
> >
> > Could anyone clarify whether the terms Rta/Ritu/Asha stem from
> > the suffixed form *ar-ti- from which we get artisan and the
> > Greek artios 'fitting'?

The root of all three is the zero-grade of the verb *ar-,
but while 'rta-' and 'asha-' come from Proto-Indo-Iranian
*rta-, 'rtu-' employs a different suffix and does not.

I don't know if the root is connected in any way with that
of the Greek 'artio-', but 'rta-' is essentially no more
than the perfect or passive participle of *ar- and as such
was surely already in use in P.I.E., though not necessarily
as the name of a special religious or mythological concept
as it is clear that it was in Proto-Indo-Iranian.

> I have read that the Avestan term Asha began as Arta and was
> softened to arsha and subsequently "asha"; and is also found
> in the forms: arsh, eresh, arta, ereta.

Yes, all from a Proto-Indo-Iranian *rta-.

> The term ARTA is found in names of Mitanni and Iranian descent:

- edit -

> I am unaware of any earlier Hittite, Anatolian, or Scythian
> evidence.

Some Scythian and Sarmatian names contain the element 'ard-',
which is thought to be cognate, and which is also found
in Ossetic with special religious or mystical connotations
besides its mundane meaning of "oath". However since the
special religious connotations of 'rta-' are seen in no
other branch of Indo-European besides the Aryan, a similarly
common use in personal names isn't to be expected from the
Anatolian in any case.

> Seeing the term Arta existing among the Mitanni and Iranian
> tribes I *ASSUME* that the etymology of the Sanskrit Rta
> stems from one of the suffixed forms of *Ar- such as *ar-ti,
> *ar-tu-, *ar-to-, or even *ar-tio-.
> Of course my assumption may be completely off base.

I had thought that all of the forms in question, including
the Mitanni and Iranian, resulted alike from *rta-, using
the zero-grade of the root, but come to think of it, I'm not
entirely sure that a guna form isn't behind some of them.

> I am searching for 3 things:
> 1) Confirmation or correction in regards to the etymology of
> Rta/Arta/Asha.
> 2) What are the nearest Sanskrit and Avestan linguistic relatives

and

> what do those related words mean?
> 3) What European or Mediterranean terms developed from the most
> recent shared PIE common ancestor? (Such as did the Greek term

Arete

> derive from the same suffixed PIE root which gave rise to Arta?)

I'm fairly sure that I've come across at least one article
by a respected Indo-Europeanist, Iranicist, or Indologist
devoted entirely to the significance and etymology of 'rta-',
but unfortunately can't remember off hand who that was.

If I remember correctly, there was at least some mention
of the question in "The Avestan hymn to Mithra" by Ilya
Gershevitch, and you might also want to check the entry
in the Encylopaedia Iranica on 'Aša-', on pages 694-696,
at http://www.iranica.com .

> Any help at all would mean a great deal to me!

Sorry that I couldn't give you much.

David