𐫗𐫍𐫗𐫃
Middle Persian
Etymology
From Proto-Iranian *ni-θanga-, from the preverb *ni- (“down”) and the verb *θanǰáyati (“to pull, draw”). Nyberg explains the literal meaning as ‘the dragger, the crawler’. Perhaps cognate with Manichaean Parthian 𐫗𐫟𐫗𐫐 (nxnk), but the reading and meaning of the latter are uncertain.
Has also been compared to Sanskrit निहाका (nihākā, “a storm, whirlwind?; an iguana, the Gangetic alligator?”), but the meaning and origin of the latter are uncertain.
Noun
𐫗𐫍𐫗𐫃 • (nihang)
- crocodile or hippopotamus
Descendants
Taking Manichaean Middle Persian as representative for all Middle Iranian:
- Persian: نهنگ (nihang, nahang, “crocodile; whale”)
- → Azerbaijani: nəhəng
- → Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: neheng (“whale”)
- → Ottoman Turkish: نهنك (neheng)
- Turkish: neheng
- → Aramaic
- Classical Syriac: ܢܗܢܓ (nahang)
- → Old Armenian: նհանգ (nhang)
- → Georgian: ნიანგი (niangi)
References
- Nyberg, H. S. (1974) A Manual of Pahlavi, Part II: Glossary, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, page 138b
- Durkin-Meisterernst, Desmond (2004) A Dictionary of Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian (Corpus Fontium Manichaeorum; 3.1), Turnhout: Brepols, page 242a
- Cheung, Johnny (2007) Etymological Dictionary of the Iranian Verb (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 2), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 391–392
- Bailey, H. W. (1979) Dictionary of Khotan Saka, Cambridge, London, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University press, page 190b
- Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1977), “նհանգ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), volume III, 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press, page 458b
- Hübschmann, Heinrich (1897) Armenische Grammatik. 1. Theil: Armenische Etymologie (in German), Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, page 205
- Cabolov, R. L. (2010) Etimologičeskij slovarʹ kurdskovo jazyka [Etymological Dictionary of the Kurdish Language] (in Russian), volume II, Moscow: Russian Academy Press Vostochnaya Literatura, page 16