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Document Details : Title: A New Etymology of the Name of the Rouran Author(s): RYKIN, Pavel Journal: Journal Asiatique Volume: 313 Issue: 1 Date: 2025 Pages: 101-127 DOI: 10.2143/JA.313.1.3294667 Abstract : This article provides a new etymology of the name of the Rouran, or Ruanruan (330-555 AD), which is attested in Chinese dynastic histories as *Ñuñar/*Ñuñan, *Ñonñor/*Ñonñon, *Ñoiñoi, *Ñuñor/*Ñuñon, *Ñoño. The author connects this name with Khitan *ñaw ‘(younger) sibling; younger relative’ and Proto-Mongolic *nuxu/n, the Tabghach cognate of which can be regularly reconstructed as *ñu or *ño. A conclusion is made that this *ñu ~ *ño was borrowed from Tabghach by the Rouran for their self-name, which fits perfectly for a term reflecting their claim for a common origin with the Northern Wei emperors. The forms *Ñuñar/*Ñuñan, *Ñonñor/*Ñonñon, and *Ñuñor/*Ñuñon may be analyzed as *ñu ~ *ño ‘younger sibling; younger relative’ plus the plural suffix *+ñar/*+ñan or *+ñor/*+ñon. The forms *Ñoño and *Ñoiñoi appear to be reduplications that are occasionally observed in Turkic, Mongolic and Tungusic languages as an expression of plurality, collectivity, or distributiveness. |
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