Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-Iranian/káwHiš

This Proto-Indo-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.

Proto-Indo-Iranian

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *(s)kówh₁is, from *(s)kewh₁- (“to perceive, observe”) +‎ *-is (deverbal noun suffix).

Noun

*káwHiš m

1. seer, poet
2. institutor of religious rites

Declension

masculine i-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*káwHiš	*káwHiH	*káwHayas
vocative	*káwHay	*káwHiH	*káwHayas
accusative	*káwHim	*káwHiH	*káwHīn, -īš
instrumental	*káwHiH	*káwHibʰyām	*káwHibʰiš
ablative	*káwHayš	*káwHibʰyām	*káwHibʰyas
dative	*káwHayay	*káwHibʰyām	*káwHibʰyas
genitive	*káwHayš	*káwHyawš	*káwHayām?
locative	*káwHā(w)?	*káwHyawš	*káwHišu

Descendants

• Proto-Indo-Aryan: *kawHíṣ
  • Sanskrit: कवि (kaví, “poet, teacher of the Vedas”)
    • Maharastri Prakrit: 𑀓𑀇 (kaï)
    • Pali: kavi
• Proto-Iranian: *káwHiš
  • Avestan: 𐬐𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬌 (kauui, “poet, bard”)
    • → Middle Persian: [script needed] (kd /⁠kay⁠/, “title of the dynasty of Wištāsp, Kayanian”)
      • Persian: کی (kay)
  • Parthian: 𐫞𐫀𐫇 (qʾw /⁠kaw⁠/, “prince, lord; giant”)
  • Middle Persian: 𐫞𐫀𐫇 (qʾw /⁠kaw⁠/, “prince, lord; giant”)
  • Sogdian: [script needed] (qwy, “giant”)
  • Khotanese: [script needed] (kai, “heroic; ārya-monk”)
  • → Old Armenian: սկայ (skay, “giant”)

Adjective

*káwHiš

1. insightful, wise

References

• Prods Oktor Skjærvø (2013) “KAYĀNIĀN i. Kavi: Avestan kauui, Pahlavi kay”, in Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, New York
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “kaví”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎^[1] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, pages 328-9
• Szemerényi, Oswald (1970) “Iranica III (Nos. 32-43)”, in Mary Boyce, Ilya Gershevitch, editors, W.B. Henning memorial volume, London: Lund Humphries, page 426