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Elodian: Difference between revisions
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Moreover, loanwords are not evenly distributed in terms of frequency; all function words are native, inherited from Proto-Indo-European, as are many of the most commonly used words, so that the most basic forms of the language contain mostly native roots. However, very basic words are not always native, sometimes due to semantic drift that has caused loanwords to fit into the other meaning. Almost as a counterpoint to basic words being mostly inherited roots, words such as those for "man" and "woman" are borrowings (from Hurrian and Byzantine Greek respectively - but see below for the latter) and nearly all Elodians carry given names that are borrowed: most of them from Middle Persian, Armenian or Kartvelian languages, while Western names are typically borrowed through Medieval Greek or through Ligurian; Islamic theophoric names are borrowed from Arabic. | Moreover, loanwords are not evenly distributed in terms of frequency; all function words are native, inherited from Proto-Indo-European, as are many of the most commonly used words, so that the most basic forms of the language contain mostly native roots. However, very basic words are not always native, sometimes due to semantic drift that has caused loanwords to fit into the other meaning. Almost as a counterpoint to basic words being mostly inherited roots, words such as those for "man" and "woman" are borrowings (from Hurrian and Byzantine Greek respectively - but see below for the latter) and nearly all Elodians carry given names that are borrowed: most of them from Middle Persian, Armenian or Kartvelian languages, while Western names are typically borrowed through Medieval Greek or through Ligurian; Islamic theophoric names are borrowed from Arabic. | ||
The most ancient layer of loanwords dates back to Elodian prehistory, and it is probably the most represented layer of loanwords in non-technical speech. Such words date back from the arrival of Elodians in eastern Anatolia up to the first few centuries AD (roughly up until the influx of Christianity shown by Aramaic loanwords and the Parthian period); prehistoric loanwords generally include words of multiple origin: Akkadian, Hurro-Urartian, Anatolian, Proto-Iranian, Hattic, Kartvelian or from other Caucasian languages. Nearly all of the proposed etymologies attributed to these languages belong to (or originally entered the language in) the semantic fields of animals, plants, agriculture and early technology; see e.g. ''šorōn'' "cat", ''lešp | The most ancient layer of loanwords dates back to Elodian prehistory, and it is probably the most represented layer of loanwords in non-technical speech. Such words date back from the arrival of Elodians in eastern Anatolia up to the first few centuries AD (roughly up until the influx of Christianity shown by Aramaic loanwords and the Parthian period); prehistoric loanwords generally include words of multiple origin: Akkadian, Hurro-Urartian, Anatolian, Proto-Iranian, Hattic, Kartvelian or from other Caucasian languages. Nearly all of the proposed etymologies attributed to these languages belong to (or originally entered the language in) the semantic fields of animals, plants, agriculture and early technology; see e.g. ''šorōn'' "cat", ''lešp'' "honey", ''notwāx'' "knife", ''osmon'' "oil" (all from Akkadian), ''neht'' "bed", ''norāt'' "pomegranate", ''waṛā'' "countryside" (from Hurrian), ''hēr'' "road", ''ebēnā'' "country" (from Urartian), ''ğuygā'' "juniper", ''šewnī'' "beautiful", ''somlart'' "medlar", ''toğoy'' "mouse" (all with proposed Kartvelian cognates), as well as toponyms (the name ''Fulahmīwā'' of the capital city of ʔelodīhūto has been traced back to Hattic goddess Furušemu) and other proper nouns (as with the names of the first six planets, excluding Earth, also found in the names of the days of the week due to ''interpretatio Elodica'', which are likely Akkadian-mediated loans of ancient Mesopotamian words). A few dozen words are categorized as unspecified Iranian loans, either early loans from Proto-Iranian or mediated by other unidentified languages, cf. ''gōbām'' "I read", ''calīr'' "splendour" (likely from *ćriHrás and therefore cognate with Sanskrit ''śrī''), ''xašrā'' "world", ''sūftā'' "milk", possibly ''mirǝ̄jē'' "rice". As shown by ''gōbām'', prehistoric loanwords include loaned verbal roots, something not found at any other stage of the language. | ||
The largest share of loanwords into Elodian comes from Persian, including words borrowed from Parthian and Middle (Sasanian) Persian, Classical Persian, and a very small number of words from contemporary Iranian Persian. Persian words are found in every semantic field, including everyday words (''cǝtor'' "umbrella", ''obēl'' "necessary", ''pahrest'' "list, menu"); words related to general urban life (''šahr'' "city", ''bandar'' "port", ''doftar'' "office", ''moydān'' "square"), knowledge and literature (''nāmē'' "book", ''lānešn'' "knowledge", ''cāmē'' "poetry"); agriculture and food (, ''bālong'' "wine"), as well as more abstract concepts (''owlēn'' "doctrine", ''kārfron'' "hero", ''lēnā'' "religion"). More abstract concepts, ethnonyms, and Islam-related words come from Arabic, but in vast majority of cases they entered Elodian through Persian (with partially Persianized phonology), so that they are often considered among Persian loanwords; such words include e.g. ''farīk'' "group, unit, section", ''haylā'' "family", ''harzi'' "latitude, parallel" and ''tūl'' "longitude, meridian", ''nesf'' "hemisphere", ''ɂentefāzā'' "rebellion", ''sāhebi'' "companion, colleague", ''seyǝ̄sā'' "politics". | The largest share of loanwords into Elodian comes from Persian, including words borrowed from Parthian and Middle (Sasanian) Persian, Classical Persian, and a very small number of words from contemporary Iranian Persian. Persian words are found in every semantic field, including everyday words (''cǝtor'' "umbrella", ''obēl'' "necessary", ''pahrest'' "list, menu"); words related to general urban life (''šahr'' "city", ''bandar'' "port", ''doftar'' "office", ''moydān'' "square"), knowledge and literature (''nāmē'' "book", ''lānešn'' "knowledge", ''cāmē'' "poetry"); agriculture and food (, ''bālong'' "wine"), as well as more abstract concepts (''owlēn'' "doctrine", ''kārfron'' "hero", ''lēnā'' "religion"). More abstract concepts, ethnonyms, and Islam-related words come from Arabic, but in vast majority of cases they entered Elodian through Persian (with partially Persianized phonology), so that they are often considered among Persian loanwords; such words include e.g. ''farīk'' "group, unit, section", ''haylā'' "family", ''harzi'' "latitude, parallel" and ''tūl'' "longitude, meridian", ''nesf'' "hemisphere", ''ɂentefāzā'' "rebellion", ''sāhebi'' "companion, colleague", ''seyǝ̄sā'' "politics". | ||