𐭠𐭭𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭

Middle Persian

Alternative forms
  • 𐭠𐭭𐭩𐭫𐭠𐭭‎ (ʾnylʾn /*anērān/)

Etymology

Middle Persian oblique plural of 𐭠𐭭‎ (an-, “non”) +‎ 𐭠𐭩𐭥‎ (ēr-), giving together anērān "of the non-Iranians".[1] Middle Persian adjective anēr- reflects Old Iranian *anarya- "non-Iranian", as found in Avestan 𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀‎ (anairya-, anairiia-, etc., “non-Iranian”).[1] See *áryas for further etymology and cognates.

The bilingual (Middle Persian and Parthian) inscriptions also attest Parthian 𐭀𐭍𐭀𐭓𐭉𐭀𐭍‎ (ʾnʾryʾn /anaryān/). Compare Old Armenian անարի (anari).

Noun

𐭠𐭭𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭 • (ʾnyrʾn /*anērān/)[2]

  1. collective ethnonym for non-Iranians, i.e. of, or pertaining to, non-Iranian peoples.[1]
  2. political and religious enemies of the Sassanid state (i.e. of Ērān),[3] i.e. abbreviated form of 𐭠𐭭𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭𐭱𐭲𐭥𐭩‎ (Anērānšahr, literally “kingdom(s) of (i.e. ruled by) non-Iranians”).[1]
Note: the distinction is between nation and state.

Derived terms
  • 𐭠𐭭𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭𐭱𐭲𐭥𐭩‎ (Anērānšahr)

Descendants
  • Persian: انیران‎ (Anīrān), نیران‎ (Nīrān)
  • → Old Armenian: Աներան (Aneran)

References
  1. MacKenzie, David Niel (1998). "Ērān, Ērānšahr". Encyclopedia Iranica, vol. 8. Costa Mesa: Mazda, p. 534.
  2. Gignoux, Philippe (1972) Glossaire des Inscriptions Pehlevies et Parthes [Glossary of Pahlavi and Parthians Inscriptions] (Corpus Inscriptionum Iranicarum. Supplementary Series; 1) (in French), London: Lund Humphries, page 16
  3. Gignoux, Phillipe (1987). "Anērān". Encyclopedia Iranica, vol. 2, New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, pp. 30–31.
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