Sanskrit मञ्जुल (mañjula, “charming, lovely”) and मङ्गल (maṅgala, “lucky charm, amulet, talisman”) have been proposed as cognates. Connection to the group of μάσσω (mássō, “to knead”) is unconvincing. Van Beek suggests a comparison with μηχανή (mēkhanḗ, “contrivance”); the pair of words shows prenasalization and interchange of γ and χ, which would be typical reflexes of a Pre-Greek word; however these are typical Semitic variations, and if the movement patterns of a pulley or catapult are compared with that of a sickle, it is easier derived from the family of Aramaic מַגְּלָא / ܡܓܠܐ (maggǝlā), Hebrew מַגָּל (maggā́l), Arabic مِنْجَل (minjal), words of transparent derivation meaning “sickle”, which passed into Old Georgian მანგალი (mangali), Old Armenian մանգաղ (mangał), and formally and geographically remarkably Georgian and Mingrelian მაგანა (magana), still meaning sickle. The senses “philtre”, “charm” and “pulley block”, “bolt”, “catapult” may ultimately have different origins, however both are relatable due to the image of witchcraft being “cast”, like the charge of a catapult is warped or a sickle is rapped.
μάγγᾰνον • (mánganon) n (genitive μαγγᾰ́νου); second declension
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | τὸ μάγγᾰνον tò mánganon |
τὼ μαγγᾰ́νω tṑ mangánō |
τᾰ̀ μάγγᾰνᾰ tà mángana | ||||||||||
| Genitive | τοῦ μαγγᾰ́νου toû mangánou |
τοῖν μαγγᾰ́νοιν toîn mangánoin |
τῶν μαγγᾰ́νων tôn mangánōn | ||||||||||
| Dative | τῷ μαγγᾰ́νῳ tôi mangánōi |
τοῖν μαγγᾰ́νοιν toîn mangánoin |
τοῖς μαγγᾰ́νοις toîs mangánois | ||||||||||
| Accusative | τὸ μάγγᾰνον tò mánganon |
τὼ μαγγᾰ́νω tṑ mangánō |
τᾰ̀ μάγγᾰνᾰ tà mángana | ||||||||||
| Vocative | μάγγᾰνον mánganon |
μαγγᾰ́νω mangánō |
μάγγᾰνᾰ mángana | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
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