Re: Ossetian sociolinguistics?

Peter T. Daniels wrote:
On Aug 16, 10:10 pm, "John Atkinson" <johna...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
[...]

Earlier, from 800 BC to 1000 AD, there are lots of Scythian and
Sarmatian names (of people, places, and tribes) in texts in other
languages -- mostly Greek, but also Latin and Persian, etc.
Herodotus has some Scythian etymologies, and there is one
inscription in Hieroglyphic Hittite which "may represent Scythian".

Anyone who calls it "Hieroglyphic Hittite" is using antiquated
sources. It's been known since at least the 1940s that the language is
Luvian. So the "may represent Scythian" may well be wishful thinking.

I got it from Wikipedia, so who knows? Anyway, here's the quote in its entirety, so you can form your own conclusion:

"An inscription from Saqqez written in the Hieroglyphic Hittite script may represent Scythian:

Transliteration: pa-tì-na-sa-nà tà-pá wa-s5-na-m5 XL was-was-ki XXX ár-s-tí-m5 s3-kar-kar (HA) har-s6-ta5 LUGAL | par-tì-ta5-wa5 ki-s3-a4-á KUR-u-pa-ti QU-wa-a5 | i5-pa-s2-a-m2
Transcription: patinasana tapa. vasnam: 40 vasaka 30 arzatam sikar. UTA harsta XSAYAL. | Partitava xsaya DAHYUupati xva|ipasyam
Translation: "Delivered dish. Value: 40 calves 30 silver siqlu. And it was presented to the king. | King Partitavas, the masters of the land property."

King Partitava equates to the Scythian king called Prototyes in Herodotus (1.103) and known as Par-ta-tu-a in the Assyrian sources."

The source they give for both the text and translation is:
J. Harmatta, "Herodotus, historian of the Cimmerians and the Scythians", in: Hérodote et les peuples non grecs, Vandouvres-Genève 1990, pp. 115-130.

Seems to me that it looks more like Iranian than Anatolian. But then, my knowledge of Luvian is near to nonexistent.

John.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Ossetian sociolinguistics?
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