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Unpacking Orel's Claim: Albanian *kar and Romani Origins

Fragment of an apotropaic mosaic with a fish-shaped cock surrounded by two triangular female vulvas and the inscription O CHARI. From Hadrumetum, dated between the late 2nd and mid-3rd centuries AD. Archaeological Museum of Sousse, Tunisia.
Vladimir Orel claims that the Albanian word *kar is borrowed from:
  kar m ‘penis’. Borrowed from Gypsy kar id. (MEYER Wb. 176). 0 TREIMER MRIW | 366; TAGLIAVINI Dalmazia 141.
However, the Romani language's history contradicts this:
The first written evidence of Romani dates back to 1542 AD in Western Europe. Linguistic analysis suggests Romani originated from New Indo-Aryan languages, indicating migration from India around 1000 AD.
Romani's grammatical evolution, such as losing the neuter gender, parallels other Indian languages. The language developed distinct features during migration, influenced by languages like Greek and Armenian.
Given the timeline, Orel's claim seems unlikely. Possible explanations:
1. Albanian *kar might be an ancient word with Proto-Indo-European roots.
2. Orel's claim might be incorrect or based on incomplete data.
Etymology, like any field of study, has its limitations and controversies. Different perspectives can lead to varying interpretations, and new ideas naturally challenge existing theories.
Language's complex, multifaceted nature encompasses various elements, including:
1. Symbolism
2. Geometric patterns and structures
3. Mathematical underpinnings (rules, relationships)
4. Sound (phonetics, phonology)
5. Conceptual meanings
Recognizing language's intricate, interconnected aspects facilitates efficient comprehension. Understanding underlying structures and word relationships enhances linguistic analysis, language learning, and natural language processing in AI systems.

References

edit
  1. ^ Orel, Vladimir E. (1998), “kar”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden; Boston; Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 170. 2.^https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sousse_O_Chari_mosaic.JPG




Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 11, 2025 at 3:29 AM

    Interesting article, see as well this article: https://medium.com/p/27d6bd941000

    ReplyDelete

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