𐌇𐌀𐌐𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌚

Umbrian

Etymology

Possibly from Proto-Italic *agʷn-īnā f (“ewe lamb”),^[1]^[2] akin to Latin agnus (“lamb, kid”),^[3] with dissimilative loss of the first */-n-/ and unetymological /h-/ possibly emerged by influence of a hypothetical *hedīn-o- (“kid, young goat”), suffixed cognate of Latin haedus (“kid”),^[1] attested as Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌽 (gaitein, “kid”).^[2]

Alternatively from Proto-Italic *fab-īnā f (literally “related to fava beans”). Animals were fed fava beans to facilitate their pregnancy, so this would identify the habina as a breeding animal, probably a sow.^[4] The /h-/ is not an expected outcome, and would imply the term to be borrowed from a neighboring Italic variety: compare Faliscan haba. See also felsva.

Only attested in the plural.

Noun

𐌇𐌀𐌐𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌚 • (hapinaf) f (early Iguvine) (accusative plural)

sacrificial animal, most likely ewe lamb.^[1]^[2]^[3] See etymology.
- early 2^nd century BCE, Iguvine Tablets, table I, side A (photo; facsimile), lines 24:
  ²⁴ 𐌐𐌖𐌔 𐌅𐌄𐌓𐌄𐌔⁚𐌅𐌄𐌇𐌉𐌉𐌄𐌔⁚𐌕𐌓𐌄𐌚⁚𐌇𐌀𐌐𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌚⁚𐌚𐌄𐌕𐌖⁚𐌕𐌄𐌚𐌓𐌄⁚𐌉𐌖𐌅𐌉𐌄⁚
  pusveres vehiies tref hapinaf fetu tefre iuvie
  Behind the Vehian gate sacrifice three ewe lambs to Tefer Jovius.

Attested forms

(accusative plural) e.Ig. 𐌇𐌀𐌐𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌚 (hapinaf), 𐌇𐌀𐌁𐌉𐌍𐌀 (habina); l.Ig. habina
(genitive plural) e.Ig. 𐌇𐌀𐌐𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌓𐌖 (hapinaru)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “agnus”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 30
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Roland G. Kent (1926) “On Some Animal Names in Italic”, in Language, volume 2, number 3, →JSTOR, pages 189–190
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Buck, Carl Darling (1904) “habina”, in A Grammar of Oscan and Umbrian: With a Collection of Inscriptions and a Glossary, page 336
^ Ancillotti, Augusto, Cerri, Romolo (2015) “habina”, in Vocabolario dell'umbro delle tavole di Gubbio [Vocabulary of Umbrian and of the Iguvine Tables] (in Italian), page 23

[deVaan-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “agnus”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 30

[Kent-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Roland G. Kent (1926) “On Some Animal Names in Italic”, in Language, volume 2, number 3, →JSTOR, pages 189–190

[Buck-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Buck, Carl Darling (1904) “habina”, in A Grammar of Oscan and Umbrian: With a Collection of Inscriptions and a Glossary, page 336

[AC-4] Ancillotti, Augusto, Cerri, Romolo (2015) “habina”, in Vocabolario dell'umbro delle tavole di Gubbio [Vocabulary of Umbrian and of the Iguvine Tables] (in Italian), page 23

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