ճիւ
Old Armenian
Etymology
Ačaṙyan and J̌ahukyan consider the origin of the word unknown.
Martirosyan proposes derivation from Proto-Iranian *čiHwá- (“shank”), attested only in the compound *HastčiHwá-, reconstructed from Avestan 𐬀𐬯𐬗𐬎𐬎𐬀- (ascuua-, “shank”), which Lubotsky connects with Sanskrit अष्ठीवत् (aṣṭhīvát, “shin, shank”), reconstructing Proto-Indo-Iranian *HastčiHwa-, interpreting it as a compound of the word for ‘bone’ (compare Sanskrit अस्थि (asthi)) with a reflex of Proto-Indo-European *(s)kiHu- (“shin”) (compare Russian цевка (cevka), Serbo-Croatian cijev/цијев, Lithuanian šeivà, Old English scīa). If Martirosyan's etymology is correct, Armenian ճիւ (čiw) provides us with the only independentevidence for Proto-Indo-Iranian *čiHwa- (“shank”).
Noun
ճիւ • (čiw)
- leg; shank
Usage notes
Unattested in Old Armenian outside the compounds երկաճիւ (erkačiw) and մենաճիւ (menačiw).
Derived terms
- երկաճիւ (erkačiw)
- մենաճիւ (menačiw)
Descendants
- Middle Armenian: ճիվ (čiv)
- Armenian: ճիվ (čiv)
References
- Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “ճիւ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
- J̌axǰaxean, Manuēl (1837), “ճիւ”, in Baṙgirkʿ i barbaṙ hay ew italakan [Armenian–Italian Dictionary], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
- Awgerean, Mkrtičʿ; Čēlalean, Grigor (1865), “ճիւ”, in Aṙjeṙn baṙaran haykaznean lezui [Pocket Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
- Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “ճիւ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
- Martirosyan, Hrach (2005), “On Armenian čiw ‘shank’”, in Iran and the Caucasus, volume 9, issue 1, pages 81–84
- Lubotsky, Alexander (2002), “The Indo-Iranian Word for ‘shank, shin’”, in Journal of the American Oriental Society, volume 122, issue 2, pages 318–324