Reconstruction:Proto-Iranian/cwáHdaH

This Proto-Iranian entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

This Proto-Iranian entry contains original research. The reconstruction in this entry is based on published research, but the specific form presented here is not found in prior works.

Proto-Iranian

Etymology

Perhaps from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćwáHdʰaH, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwéh₁-dʰ-o-h₁ (dual), from *ḱweh₁-, *ḱewh₁- (“to swell, be great”)^[1]. Possible cognate with Avestan 𐬯𐬏𐬌𐬛𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬌 (sūidiiāi, “to swell, increase”, inf.), Bactrian σοδο (sodo /⁠sūd⁠/, “plenty”), Middle Persian (swd /⁠sūd⁠/), (swwd /⁠sūd⁠/, “profit, advantage”), Sanskrit शवस् (śavas, “strength, superiority”).

Noun

*cwáHdaH m

army

Derived terms

*cwaHdaHpatiš

Descendants

Central Iranian:
- Old Avestan: 𐬯𐬞𐬁𐬛𐬀 (spāda)
  - Younger Avestan: 𐬯𐬞𐬁𐬜𐬀 (spāδa)
Northeastern Iranian:
- Proto-Scythian: *spāda
  - Ossetian: ӕфса́д (æfsád)^[2]
- Sogdian: (ʾspʾδ /⁠əspāδ⁠/)
Northwestern Iranian:
- Kurdish:
  Central Kurdish: سپا (sipa), سوپا (supa)
  
  Northern Kurdish: sipa
- Old Median: *spāδā
  - → Old Persian: *spādā, 𐎿𐎱𐎠𐎭 (spādaʰ)
    - Middle Persian: (*spʾd /⁠*spāy⁠/)
      - → Old Armenian: սպայ (spay)
        Armenian: սպա (spa)
- Parthian: *spāδ
  Manichaean script: 𐫙𐫘𐫛𐫀𐫅 (ʿspʾd /⁠ispāδ⁠/)
  - → Old Armenian: սպահ (spah)
  - → Middle Persian:
    Manichaean script: 𐫘𐫛𐫀𐫍 (spʾh)
    
    Inscriptional Pahlavi script: 𐭮𐭯𐭠𐭧 (spʾḥ)
    
    Pazend script: 𐬯𐬞𐬁𐬵 (spāh)
    - Classical Persian: سپاه (sipāh)
      - Iranian Persian: سپاه (sepâh)
      - → Ottoman Turkish: سپاه (sipâh)
      - → Hindustani:
        Hindi: सिपाह (sipāh)
        
        Urdu: سپاه m (sipāh)
      - ⇒ Persian: سپاهی (sepâhi) (see there for further descendants)
    - → Georgian: სპა (sṗa)
    - → Classical Syriac: ܐܣܦܗ (ʾsph)^[3]

References

^ Kent, Roland G. (1950) “spada-”, in Old Persian: grammar, texts, lexicon, New Haven: American Oriental Society, page 210
^ Abajev, V. I. (1958) “^æfsad | æfsad”, in Историко-этимологический словарь осетинского языка [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Ossetian Language] (in Russian), volume I, Moscow and Leningrad: Academy Press, page 479
^ “ˀsph”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

Schmitt, Rüdiger (1987) “Armenia and Iran IV. Iranian influences in Armenian 1. General”, in Ehsan Yarshater, editor, Encyclopædia Iranica‎, volume 2, London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, page 449b of 445–459

[1] Kent, Roland G. (1950) “spada-”, in Old Persian: grammar, texts, lexicon, New Haven: American Oriental Society, page 210

[2] Abajev, V. I. (1958) “^æfsad | æfsad”, in Историко-этимологический словарь осетинского языка [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Ossetian Language] (in Russian), volume I, Moscow and Leningrad: Academy Press, page 479

[3] “ˀsph”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

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