|
|
DOI: 10.46698/VNC.2023.21.14.009
OSSETIAN EVIDENCE FROM EARLY MODERN EUROPEAN SOURCES: TRACING LINGUISTIC CHANGES
Şahingöz, [Tsoriti] Emine M. A.
Kavkaz Forum. 2023. Issue 14.
Abstract:
Ossetic, an Eastern Iranian language native to the central Caucasus region,
has a rich and complex history that has been shaped by various linguistic and
cultural influences of the region. However, due to the lack of a writing tradition,
sources for Ossetic are limited, and much of the language’s early history and
linguistic development remains shrouded in mystery. Fortunately, there are a
number of publication that date back to the early modern European period and
that contain a few word lists, which provide valuable insights into the linguistic
developments of Ossetic. The earliest of these publications dates back to 1705.
These word lists not only offer a glimpse into the lexicon of the language but they
also provide a window into the linguistic evolution of Ossetic since they allow for
the tracing of developments, portraying the transcriptions by the researchers,
who compiled them. As such, these sources are of great importance to linguists
interested in the history and development of Ossetic and Iranian languages but
also contact phenomena and can help shed light on the ways in which language
change of oral languages occurs over a period of a couple of centuries. In this
article, we will explore the linguistic developments of Ossetic as observed in early
modern European sources and examine the ways in which these developments
can be traced to later stages of the language. For this purpose we will firstly provide
an overview of the relevant monographs that were published in the past centuries
and that include either research on, for instance, the syntax or morphology of
Ossetic or that include language material, such as word lists and transcriptions
that date back to a time, when the language did not have an established writing
tradition yet. As the aim of this paper is to discuss developments and peculiarities
that can be concluded from this material, we will have a closer look into two word
lists in particular: namely the “Circassian” glossary that was published in Nicolaes
Witsen’s “Noord en Oost Tartarye”, and Simon Pallas’ Iron and Digor Ossetian
glossaries. As we will see, Witsen’s glossary compiles not merely Circassian lexemes
but also shows a considerable amount of Ossetian entries. This makes the entries
in Witsen’s glossary the oldest attested written examples of Modern Ossetic. Pallas’
glossary on the other hand is relevant for the comparative study of Ossetian
varieties and dialects; the entries show that dialectal varieties of Iron, for instance,
were already established. This can be seen in the phonology of the entries.
Keywords: language development, historical linguistics, dialectology, Early Modern Ossetic.
For citation: Şahingöz [Tsoriti], E. Ossetian evidence from early modern European sources:
tracing linguistic changes. KAVKAZ-FORUM. 2023, iss. 14 (21), pp. 12-31.
DOI 10.46698/VNC.2023.21.14.009
+ References1. Ahvlediani, G. V. (ed.). Grammatika osetinskogo jazyka[Grammar of the
Ossetian language]. V 2-h t.[In 2 volumes]. Ordzhonikidze, North Ossetian
State University, 1963. T. I. Fonetika i Morfologija[Vol. I. Phonetics and Morphol-
ogy]. 368 p., 1969. T. II. Sintaksis[Vol. II. Syntax]. 227 p.
2. Abaev, V. I. Grammaticheskij ocherk osetinskogo jazyka [Grammatical
sketch of the Ossetian language]. Ordzhonikidze, Sev.-Oset. kn. izd-vo, 1959.
168 p.
3. Thordarson, F. Ossetic Grammatical Studies. 1971. Sonja, Fritz (ed.),
Veröffentlichungen zur Iranistik. Wien, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie
der Wissenschaften, 2009. 255 p.
4. Erschler, D. From preverbal focus to preverbal ‘left periphery’: The Ossetic
clause architecture in areal and diachronic perspective. Lingua. 2012, no. 122
(6), pp. 673-699.
5. Erschler, D. A new argument for existence of the DP in languages without
articles. Journal of Linguistics. 2019, no. 55 (4), pp. 879-887.
6. Erschler, D. “Iron Ossetic”. Polinsky, M. (ed.). The Oxford handbook of the lan-
guages of the Caucasus. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2021, pp. 641-685.
7. Witsen, Nicolaes C. Noord en Oost Tartarye, ofte bondig ontwerp van
eenige dier landen en volken, welke voormaels bekent zijn geweest: benef-
fens verscheide tot noch toe onbekende, en meest nooit voorheen beschreve
Tartersche en naaburige gewesten, landstreeken, steden, rivieren, en plaetzen,
in de Noorder. Amsterdam, François Halma, 1705, vol. 2. 467 p. (in Dutch).
8. Naarden, B., T. van Brederode, Tjeerd de Graaf & et al. (eds.). The Fasci-
nation with inner Eurasian Languages in the 17th Century: The Amsterdam
mayor Nicolaas Witsen and his collection of ‘Tartarian’ glossaries and scripts.
Amsterdam, Uitgeverij Pegasus, 2018. 644 p.
9. Güldenstädt, J. A. Reisen durch Russland und im caucasischen Gebirge
(ed. P. S. Pallas). St. Petersburg, Bei der Kayserlischen Akademie der Wissen-
schaften, 1787, 1791. (in German).
10. Güldenstädt, J. A. Dr. J. A. Güldenstädts Reisen nach Georgien und
Imerethi (ed. Heinrich Julius von Klaproth). Berlin, In der Maurerschen Buch-
handlung, 1815. 306 p. (in German).
11. Pallas, Peter Simon. Linguarum totius orbis vocabularia comparativa.
Typis Johannis Caroli Schnoor, 1786. 456 p. (in Latin).
12. Ellis, George. Memoir of a Map of the Countries Comprehended Be-
tween the Black Sea and the Caspian: With an Account of the Caucasian Na-
tions, and Vocabularies of the Languages. London, J. Edwards, 1788. 80 p.
13. Reineggs, Jacob. Allgemeine historisch-topographische Beschreibung
des Kaukasus. Hildesheim – St. Petersburg, Bei Gerstenberg und Dittmar, 1796.
294 p. (in German).
14. Pallas, Peter Simon (ed.). Tagebuch einer Reise die im Jahr 1781 von
der Gränzfestung Mosdok nach dem innern Caucasus unternommen worden.
Neue Nordische Beyträge zur physikalischen und geographischen Erd-und
Völkerbeschreibung, Naturgeschichte und Oekonomie. 1796, no. 7, pp. 1-127.
St. Petersburg – Lepzig, bei Johann Zacharias Logan (in German).
15. Engelmann, Wilhelm. Bibliotheca geographica: Verzeichniss der seit
der Mitte des vorigen Jahrhunderts bis zu Ende des Jahres 1856 in Deutsch-
land erschienenen Werke über Geographie und Reisen mit Einschluss der
Landkarten, Pläne und Ansichten; mit einem ausführlichen Sach-Register.
Leipzig, Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, 1858. 1225 p. (in German).
16. Allen, William Edward David. The Volga-Terek Route in Russo-Cauca-
sian Relations”. Bedi Kartlisa, Revue de Kartvélologie. Études Géorgiennes et
Caucasiennes. 1963, vol. XV-XVI (no 43-44), pp. 158-166.
17. Rohrbacher, Heinrich. Georgien: Bibliographie des deutschsprachigen
Schrifttums. Wiesbaden, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, 2008. 562 p. (in German).
18. Tokaev (Takaov), G. / Tokaty, G., Gencavrov, P. / Kesaty, F. Katehizis [Cat-
echism]. 1798.
19. Kozyreva, T. Z. Jazyk pervoj osetinskoj pechatnoj knigi[The language of
the first Ossetian printed book]. Ordzhonikidze, Ir, 1974. 102 p.
20. von Klaproth, Heinrich Julius (ed.?). Catéchisme Ossète, accompagné
d’une traduction française interlinéaire. Inventory of the Oriental manuscripts
of the library of the University of Leiden. Estimated 1812, vol. 15: Manuscript Or.
14.380. (in French).
21. von Klaproth, Heinrich Julius. Reise in den Kaukasus und nach Geor-
gien, unternommen in den Jahren 1807 und 1808. Anhang zur Reise in den
Kaukasus und nach Georgien, 1812, 1814, vol. 2. Halle – Berlin, Buchhandlun-
gen d. Hallischen Waisenhauses. (in German).
22. Jalguzidze-Geberati, I. G. Manuskript[Manuscript]. 1802.
23. von Klaproth, Heinrich Julius. Voyage au mont Caucase et en Géorgie.
Paris, Gosselin C., 1823. 520 p. (in French).
24. von Klaproth, Heinrich Julius. Asia polyglotta. Paris, A. Schubart, 1823.
443 p. (in French).
25. Sjögren, Andreas Johan. Iron Ævzagaxur das ist Ossetische Sprachleh-
re. Nebst kurzem Ossetisch-Deutschen und Deutsch-Ossetischen Wörterbu-
che. St. Petersburg, Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1844. 612 p. (in
German).
26. Rosen, G. Ossetische Sprachlehre nebst einer Abhandlung über das
Mingrelische, Suanische u. Abchasische (Vorgelegt der k. Akademie d. Wis-
sensch. zu Berlin am 24 Octb. 1844 u. 6. Febr. 1845). Berlin, Lemgo und Det-
mold, Meyersche Hofbuchhandlung, 1846. 84 p. (in German).
27. Miller, Vs. F. Osetinskie jetjudy[Ossetian studies]. V 3-t.[In 3 t.]. Moscow,
1881, 1882, 1887.
28. Miller, Vs. F. Digorskie skazanija[Digor tales]. Moscow, 1902. 102 p.
29. Miller, Vs. F. Osetinsko-russko-nemeckij slovar’[Ossetian-Russian-Ger-
man dictionary]. Leningrad, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1927, 1929,
1934.
30. Iosif, Episkop Vladikavkazskij. Russko-osetinskij slovar’ s kratkoj gram-
matikoj [Russian-Ossetian dictionary with a brief grammar]. Vladikavkaz, 1884.
580 p.
31. von Stackelberg, Reinhold. Beitrage zur syntax des ossetischen. Inau-
gural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der philosophischen Doctorwürde an der
Kaiser-Wilhelms-Universität Strassburg. Strassburg, Karl J. Trübner, 1886. 116 p.
(in German).
32. Hübschmann, Heinrich. Etymologie und Lautlehre der ossetisch-
en Sprache. Sammlung indogermanischer Wörterbücher 1. Strassburg,
Karl J. Trübner, 1887. 174 p. (in German).
33. von Hahn, Carl. Bilder aus dem Kaukasus: Neue studien zur kenntnis
Kaukasiens. Leipzig, Verlag von Duncker & Humblot, 1900. 299 p. (in German).
34. Ælborty, B. Iron ævzadžy cybyr grammatikæ xistær axuyr gæninægtæn
æmæ xi axuyrgænægtæn[Brief grammar of the Ossetian language for high
school students and teachers]. Dzæudžyqæu, 1925. 156 p. (in Ossetian).
35. Ælborty, B. Næ fyccag muxurgond iron činygæj nog xabærttæ [New infor-
mation about the first printed book in the Ossetian language]. Dzæudžyqæu,
1929. 23 p. (in Ossetian).
36. Qocyty, B. Iron ævzadžy formalon praktikon Gramatikæ: Astæuggag skho-
lajy fyddzag ærtæ khordæn [Practical grammar of the Ossetian language: for sec-
ondary school students]. Dzæudžyqæu, 1930. (in Ossetian).
37. Dzagurti, G. Digoron ævzagi orfografij (rast finsun) zingædær æhdæut-
tæ[Rules for the difficulties of spelling the spelling of the Digor language].
Ordžonikidze, Ræstdzinad, 1932. (in Ossetian).
38. Seoti, Z., Dzagurov, G. A. Iron-Dyguron grammatikæjy æmæ ævzag
axuyry terminty dzyrduat[Dictionary of terms on Iron-Digor grammar].
Ordžonikidze, Ræstdzinad, 1934. (in Ossetian).
39. Big‘uylaty, B. Lingviston Terminty: Uyryssag-iron cybyr dzyrduat [Linguis-
tic terms: Russian-Ossetian short dictionary]. Dzӕudzhyhӕu, Cӕgat Irystony
paddzahadon rauag‘dad, 1947. (in Ossetian).
40. Munkácsi, B. Blüten der ossetischen Volksdichtung: im Auftrage
der ungarischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Budapest: V. Hornyánszky,
Kön. Ung. Hofbuchdruckerei A.-G En Commission chez Otto Harrassowitz,
Leipsic, 1932. 246 p. (in German).
41. Abaev, V. I. Osetinskij jazyk i fol’klor[Ossetian language and folklore].
Moscow-Leningrad, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. 1949. 603 p.
42. Abaev, V. I. Istoriko-jetimologicheskij slovar’ osetinskogo jazyka. V 5 t.
[Historical and etymological dictionary of the Ossetian language. In 5 vols].
Moscow-Leningrad, 1958, 1973, 1979, 1989, 1995 (I-V).
43. Abaev, V. I. Grammatical sketch of the Ossetian language. Translated by
Stephen P. Hill. Blumington, 1964. 133 p.
44. Bagaev, N. K. Sovremennyj osetinskij jazyk. V 2 ch.[Modern Ossetian lan-
guage. In 2 parts] Ordzhonikidze, Severo-Osetinskoe knizhnoe izdatel’stvo. Ch.
1. Fonetika i morfologija [Pt 1. Phonetics and morphology], 1965. 487 p. Ch. 2.
Sintaksis [Part 2. Syntax], 1982. 493 p.
45. Benveniste, É. Études sur la langue ossète. Paris, C. Klincksieck, 1959.
163 p. (in French).
46. Benvenist, Je. Ocherki po osetinskomu jazyku[Essays on the Ossetian
language]. Translation from French by K. E. Gagkaev. Moscow, Nauka, 1965.
168 p.
47. Isaev, M. I. Digorskij dialekt osetinskogo jazyka [Digor dialect of the Os-
setian language]. Moscow, Nauka, 1966. 223 p.
48. Smeets, R. Nicolaes Witsen’s Circassian Glossary. Bruno, Naarden, Tom
van Brederode, Tjeerd de Graaf & et al. (eds.). The Fascination with inner Eur-
asian Languages in the 17th Century: The Amsterdam mayor Nicolaas Witsen
and his collection of ‘Tartarian’ glossaries and scripts. Amsterdam, Uitgeverij
Pegasus, 2018, pp. 177-219. (in Dutch).
49. Bielmeier, R. Historische Untersuchung zum Erb- und Lehnwortschat-
zanteil im ossetischen Grundwortschatz. Frankfurt a. M. – Bern – Las Vegas:
Peter Lang, 1977. 372 p. (in German).
← Contents of issue
|
