 previous article in this issue | next article in this issue  |
Preview first page |
Document Details : Title: Étymologie et usages du feu (krak) en arménien classique Author(s): ARZOUMANOV, Jean Journal: Revue des Études Arméniennes Volume: 42 Date: 2023-2024 Pages: 77-98 DOI: 10.2143/REA.42.0.3293638 Abstract : This article offers a reassessment of the differences in the usages of krak and howr, the two words for 'fire' in Classical Armenian. Through a close examination of Elishe’s History of Vardan and the Armenian War, krak is found to be used in distinct contexts, particularly in relation to Zoroastrian fire worship (a distinction also evident in the Bowzandaran). A review of krak and its cognates krakaran 'brazier' and kraketł 'charcoal fire' in the Armenian Bible shows some semantic overlap among these words, including an instance in Tobit where krak means 'embers'. In view of this semantic analysis of krak, the article proposes a Middle Iranian etymon *kīrak for Arm. krak and Georg. k’erak’-, reconstructed via the Middle Persian q῾yr /kīr/ 'oven'. It suggests a semantic shift from the original meaning of 'oven' to 'fire', possibly in a Zoroastrian ritual context where there might have been a similarity perceived between fire altars and ovens, as evidenced in Syriac. |
|
