v. LINGUISTIC CONTACTS WITH IRANIAN LANGUAGES

Due to many centuries of close contacts between Georgia and Persia, a large number of Iranian loanwords came into the Georgian language. These belonged to various spheres of vocabulary and were borrowed at different periods and from different dialects: from Eastern Iranian Scytho-Alan-Ossetic, and from Western Iranian Median, Parthian and, to an even greater extent, from the Middle Persian of the Sasanian period (3rd-7th cent.) and New Persian. Only a brief survey of these loanwords can be given here, but analysis of the borrowed vocabulary reveals its versatile semantic character: technical terms, basic vocabulary pertaining to all aspects of everyday life, and expressive vocabulary.

Among the loanwords, nouns are most common: e.g., aug-i "shame" (from Mid. Pers. a@ho@g "blemish"); guman-i "thought, opinion, suspicion, suggestion" (< NPers. goma@n); mizd-i "price, payment, rent" (from Mid. Pers. mizd < Av. mi‘da-; NPers. mozd). However, there are also adjectives—sustÂ-i "weak" (NPers. sost); m-subuk-i "light" (NPers. sabok)—as well as verbal stems: æen- "build" (from Mid. Pers. *æe@n, cf. Av. æayana- "home"; æen in Georgian is present like a component in toponyms such as Axalæen-i, lit. "New city"); *tr-, treva "pull, drag" was introduced from Scythian as early as the Kartvelian period. Most of the loanwords came directly from the original language, but some were transmitted through other languages: thus, via Armenian, the proper name Bagrat (proper name, Old Pers. Bagada@ta-); ±áeæmaritÂ-i "true, real" (Mid. Pers. ±aæmd^d), etc.

Many loanwords became organic parts of the Georgian language and subject to its grammatical rules. Often a compound word is treated as a single stem: æara "avenue" (from NPers. æa@h-ra@h "straight and wide road," lit. "royal road"). As can be expected, loanwords are not subject to the phonetic changes taking place in the original language. For example, Georgian spetáaká-i (from Mid. Pers. spe@dag "white, clean") differs from NPers. sap^d, saf^d.

The following are significant categories of Georgian vocabulary affected by Iranian languages.

Proper names. Borrowed proper names often had a military or heroic connotation: Arsoká/Arsuká (from OP/Av. aræan- "man, male, hero," is equivalent to the OP/Av. proper name Aræak, where -ok/-uk is a polysemantic suffix); Varaæ (from Walaæ, late form of the Parth. Walagaæ, cf. Arm. Wa¬aræ < wal- "strength, might"); Vardan (from Mid. Pers. Warda@; apparently, this name, so popular in the Middle Persian period, is not attested in New Persian); P®erozh/P®eroz was introduced into Georgian twice, in its Middle Iranian form (Parth. Pe@ro@‘, Mid. Pers. Pe@ro@z) and in the New Persian form (P^ru@z, Arabicized form F^ru@z); Palavand and the family-name Palavandiævil-i (< NPers. pahlava@n; the introduction of -d after -n- is characteristic of Georgian, cf. Georgian durbind-i < Pers. du@rb^n, "telescope").

Of Iranian theophoric anthroponyms, the following are represented in Georgian: Bagrat (*Old Pers. Bagada@ta- "created by god, god's gift," Mid. Pers. Bay/gda@d, Av. Ba©o@.da@ta-, Parth. Ba©da@t; the Arm. form Bagrat and the change d > ’ > r testifies that this name came to Georgian via Armenian); Baaman (Av. Vohu Manah, Parth. Vahmanak, Mid. Pers. Wahman, NPers. Bahman, q.v.; in intervocal position h is reduced, cf. Georgian Mirian); VaxuætÂ-i (< OIr. vahiæta- ["paradise," superlative of veh "good," i.e., "superb, excellent"], Mid. Pers. wahiæt, NPers. beheæt); Trdat is derived from T^r, the name of an Iranian deity (Parth. tyrydyt, Mid. Pers. T^rda@d "created by the god T^r"); Khudada (< NPers. kòoda@da@d, "given by God"). The Georgian name Ra‘den may be a composite: its second component, -de@n, comes from Mid. Pers. de@n "creed, religion," while the first one is perhaps Ir. ro@‘/ro@z "day, light, happiness," i.e., *Ro@‘de@n- "happy religion." The component ro@z is also present in the Georgian family name Berozashvili (< NPers. Behru@z "happy, fortunate"). Adarazan or Adrazan, is also a compound, where the first element is the noun a@dòar "fire," and the second is derived from the pres. stem of the NPers. verb zadan "beat, strike," i.e., probably "striking fire." Adarnase (< Mid. Pers. AÚdurnarse@h; for the second component cf. Av. nairyo@.saºya- and Mid. Pers. Narseh; the latter exists also in Georgian as the name Nerse). To this group also belongs the popular name Xosro, Xuasro (Av. husravah-, Mid. Pers. Husraw, Arm. Xosrov; a compound of hu- "good, kind" and sravah- "glory, fame").

Many Iranian names incorporate the names of celestial bodies or words indicative of light, radiance, or good fortune. Some of these can also be found in Georgian: Roshnia (< ro@æn, ro@æan, cf. Scythian Ro@ksane@, Av. rauxæna- "light, glittering," NPers. Rowæanak); Bevroz (the first component is derived from OIr. *baivar, another derivative of which is be@var "ten thousand"; cf. Av. bae@var-, Mid. Pers. be@war., Sc. Baiormaios [see Justi, Namenbuch, p. 60]); Navroz, as in the family-name Navrozashvili (< NPers. nowru@z, "the first day of the new year" and the proper name Nowru@z).

Other personal names derive from stems which denote qualities or characteristics: Arjevan and the family name Arjevanidze (cf. Av. ar™janhant-, ar™javan- < Av. ar™jah- "price, value, worth," and the suffix -vant-; Mid. Pers. arz, arza@n^g "worthy"); Ramin (Mid. Pers. ra@me@n < OPers. ra@m-, Av. ra@man- "peace, silence"); Ramapáan (< Ir. *ra@mapa@van-, with the adjective -pa@van "protecting peace, tranquility"); Dilardukht (the second component, Mid. Pers. duxt, NPers. dokòt "daughter," is often present in women's names; the first component is probably derived from NPers d^la@r or dela@ra@ "adorning hearts." The Georgian female name Nazi can be found in Iranian languages as a male name (Med. *Nazuka-, Mid. Pers. Na@zuk).

Of Iranian anthroponyms indicating colors, those containing the word "black" are especially popular in Georgia. There are several forms: Siaush, Shiosh, Shiaosh, Shioaosh (s > sh in Georgian). Similar names are known in Old-, Middle-, and New Iranian languages. Closest to the Iranian form is the Georgian Siyaush (< NPers. S^a@vakòæ); cf. also Saurmag (< Scythian Sawarmag "black-armed").

Zoonyms include: Varaza, Varaz, Varaz-Bakáur (cf. Av. vara@za-, Med. *Vara@zaka-, Scythian Oyadzacos, Oss. Waraz, Mid. Pers. wara@z-, NPers. gora@z "wild boar"); Gorg, Gorgaká, Gurgen, Gorgine (cf. Old Pers. vráka-, Mid. Pers. Gurge@n < OIr. vrákaina-, NPers. gorg "wolf"). The term asp (horse) occurs in many compounds, but the family name Aspanidze is derived directly from the plural aspa@n. Georgian Tamaz derives from Av. Tuma@spa-, patronymic Tuma@spa@na-, Mid. Pers. Tuxma@spa@n, Pa@zand Tahma@spa@, NPers. T®ahma@sb, Arm. Tahmaz. Its first component is OPers. taxma- "brave." It is noteworthy that asp > az does not usually occur in other Georgian names of this type, i.e., Gorjasp, Jamasp, etc. Obviously, the Georgian Tamaz and the Arm. Tahmaz derive from the same source. In the case of Luarsab (< NPers. Lohra@sb, Mid. Pers. Luhra@sp). Authors such as Eskandar Beg Monæ^ did not recognize the derivation of this name from the Persian Lohra@sp and transliterated it as Lu@a@rsáa@b (e.g., pp. 206, 271, 818-19, 874-79, etc.) Jamasp (Av. Ja@ma@spa-, NPers. Ja@ma@sb; probably "branded horse") occurs in the family name Jamaspishvili. Names containing the element æer "lion" include: Shermazan, family name Shermazanashvili (< NPers. ˆermazan "lion-killer"); Shergil, Arm. ˆergir "lion-catcher, brave" (< NPers. æ^rg^r, where the second component, g^r-, is the present stem of the verb gereftan "to take, to capture"); Shervazh, (the second component, vazh, may be derived from the Ir. va@±/va@‘ "voice," i.e. "having the voice of a lion"); and the family name Shervashidze /Juansher (< N.Pers. Jova@næ^r, where the first component is jova@n "young").

Some personal names contain the names of plants and flowers, most often the rose (NPers. gol): Gulamshar, Gulashar, and Gushar all derive from NPers. Gol-æahr, where the second component is æahr "city," i.e., "the land of roses"; Gulchora (< NPers. Gol-±ehra, where the second component is ±ehra "face," i.e., "rose-faced"); Gulbahar, where the second component is baha@r "spring." (Gol-baha@r "spring rose").

Two somatic anthroponyms are Sharukh (NPers. æa@hrokò "having a royal face," i.e. "majestic, beautiful") and the family name Varsidze (from vars, Av. var™sa-, Mid. Pers. wars "hair").

Ethnonyms as components of anthroponyms: Eraj (Mid. Pers. EÚÚraj, NPers. Èraj); Erashahr (< Mid. Pers. EÚra@næahr, "land of the Aryans"; cf. Arm. Eranæahik); Koiar (from Mid. Pers. ko@hya@r < ko@fda@r "the lord of the mountain").

A large number of Persian names came into Georgian from the versions of the ˆa@h-na@ma: Givi (< Ge@v); Goderdz-i (< Go@darz); Zurab-i (< Sohra@b); Ketevan (< Kata@yu@n); Zaal (< Za@l; cf. the family name Zaldastanishvili), etc.

Iranian anthroponyms are represented in the epic Vepkhistqaosani (The knight in the panther skin) by Shota Rustaveli (12th/13th cent.): Pridon (Mid. Ir. Fre@do@n, NPers. Far^du@n/Fereydu@n, < Av. ÿrae@taona- < trita‚: i.e., "of triple strength"); Nestan-Darezhan (NPers. n^st andar jaha@n "unlike any other in the world"), etc.

Religious terminology. Iranian religion has also had an impact on Georgian vocabulary. Borrowings include: ArtÂoæan-i/AtÂroæan-i "fire-temple" (< Mid. Pers. AÚdura@næa@h); Aeshma, eshmaká-i "devil" (cf. Av. ae@æma-; in Mid. Pers., with secondary aspiration, xe@Ÿæm "anger"); dev-i "evil spirit" (from Mid. Pers. de@w, Old Pers. daiva-, Av. dae@va-); niæ "miracle, sign" (from Mid. Pers. n^æ- < *niyaæ- < ni-aæ- "to look, to watch"; with suff. a@n; NPers. neæa@n "sign," Arm. loanword næan; Georgian nishan-i); tÂadzar-i, tÂazar-i "temple" (from Old Pers. tacara-, NPers. tajar, tazar "winter pavilion"; cf. Georgian tÂadzr-oba- "feast, bread"); wnas-i "sin, misfortune, loss" (< Mid. Pers. wina@h "sin," OIr. *vina@sa-, NPers. gona@h); zorva "sacrificial victim, sacrifice" (from Mid. Pers. zo@hr "libation, offering" < Av. zaoøra- "sacrificial victim, donation, holy water"; from the same stem, zuaraká-i "animal to be sacrificed," i.e. calf); jojokhet-i "hell" (< Mid. Pers. duæox < Av. dao‘ahva-; NPers. du@zakò). Cheshmaritá-i "true, right, reliable" and cheshmaritá-eba "truth" derive from Mid. Pers. ±aæm-d^d "visible, obvious"; the change d > r proves that this word came to Georgian through Armenian. Mogv-i, Old Georgian mogu "magus, astrologer" can be traced to Mid. Pers. mogu, mogu-mart "priest" (< Old Pers. magu-; NPers. mog@; Arm. loanword mog). The related toponym mogv-ta (the suffix -ta indicates a general place and is used to form geographic names; i.e., "land inhabited by magi") may be connected to the corporation, the community of magi (magu@sta@n) founded by Kirde@r in conquered lands, among them Georgia/Iberia.

Administrative, social, and military vocabulary. Terms in this category include aznaur-i "free," i. e., a member of a noble family (from Mid. Pers. a@zna@var; corresponds semantically to Mid. Pers. a@za@d, Av. a@za@ta- "nobility"; bazh-i "tax, duty" (from Mid. Pers. ba@‘, Old Pers. ba@ji-, Av. ba@ji- "to give, present"; NPers. ba@j); dastáaká-i "license, document" (from NPers. dastak "account-book"); dastáur-i "trustworthy person, minister, true" in Old Georgian, "agreement, consent" in New Georgian (cf. NPers. dastu@r "minister" < Mid. Pers. dastwar "religious adviser, judge, member of the Zoroastrian clergy," cf. Georgian dastáur-xelosan-i "official, clergyman"); gumard-i "viceroy" (from Mid. Pers. guma@rdag "commissioner, governor," cf. NPers. goma@rdan, "to appoint, designate"); gujar-i "book, letter, document" (from Mid. Pers. wiza@r "explanation"); kardag-i "estate, allotment" (from Mid. Pers. kardag < kart, *kert- "cut," NPers. kard, kart "plot of land, estate"); roartÂag-i, hrovartÂaká-i, hroartÂaká-i, hroardag-i, hroatáaká-i "book, letter, royal statute-book" (from Mid. Pers. frawardag < •var- "to turn round, roll, change," i.e., "rolled up," probably via Arm. hrovartáaká "letter, order, edict; document testifying ownership"); æegird-i "apprentice, pupil" (< NPers. æa@gerd, Mid. Pers. haæa@gird < OIr. *haæa@.krtÂa-, Arm. aæakert, Mid. Pers. hawiæt "pupil"); vachar-i "merchant, trader" (a loan through Arm. va±áarakáan "merchant," va±áar "trade, market < Mid. Pers. wa@za@raga@n, "merchant," wa@za@r "market,"); bazar-i "market" (< NPers. ba@za@r "market"); vakhsh-i "money recovered with interest," me-vakhsh-e "usurer, money-lender" (from Mid. Pers. waxæ "interest on money, increase, sunrise, growing," Av. vaxæa-, Arm. vaæx "usurer"); zenar-i "oath, promise" (Mid. Pers. ze@nha@r "guarantee, protection, oath" < *zivan-har- < *j^vana-hara- "protecting life"; NPers. zenha@r); zepáur-i "noble" (Mid. Pers. wispuhr < viso@.puøra-"son of the family, of the clan; prince-royal," cf. Georgian sa-zepáur-o "chosen"); gund-i "army, regiment, military unit" (from Mid. Pers. gund "army," NPers. gond, Arab. jond, Mand. gunda@, Syr. gudda@ < gdd-, Old Hebrew g'dòud "band, detachment"); razm-i "military unit, detachment" (from New and Mid. Pers. razm, Av. rasman- < •raz-); sardal-i "commander, general" (from NPers. sarda@r; r > l in Georgian); spáa "army" (from Mid. Pers. spa@h, OIr. spa@’a-, NPers. sepa@h); spáaspáetÂ-i, spáaypáetÂ-i "commander, general" (from Mid. Pers. sipa@hbed," NPers. sepahbad); marzpÂan-i "district governor" (< Mid. Pers. and NPers. marzba@n); ostÂatÂ- i "master, expert" (Mid. Pers. o@sta@t-mart, NPers. osta@d).

The term patÂiakhsh-i, páitÂiakhsh-i "the second after the king," the viceroy of the shah of Persia in Iberia (bytÂy'hæ) is witnessed in inscriptions of the 1st to 2nd centuries C. E. In the trilingual inscription of ˆa@pu@r I, the bearer of this title is mentioned after the members of the royal family. The Paikuli inscription shows that towards the end of the 3rd century this office became less important and influential. Georgian sources testify that the bearer of this title held a very high office in the province. The most exact phonetic transmission of this title in Georgian, found in an inscription on a plate from Bori, is btÂxæ, (bytÂy÷a‚xæ, cf. Arm. bdeaæx). In Georgian b > pá due to assimilation with tÂ. Consequently, in anlaut bi- < bit^ya- "the second," Parth. bit^ya- < Old Pers. dvit^ya-, i.e. *bitiyaxæa can be traced to the Achaemenian dvit^yaxæa@ya-, Parth. bidaxæ, where dv > b; see BIDAXˆ).

Arms and weapons: daæna "short straight dagger" (NPers. daæna); gurz-i "club, mace" (NPers. gorz); kaman-i "bow" (NPers. kama@n); kamandar-i "archer" (NPers. kama@nda@r); kamand-i "lasso" (NPers. kamand); xiæt "bayonet" (NPers. kòeæt "spear, dart"); lula "gun-barrel" (NPers. lu@la "tube"); æimæer-i "sharp blade" (Mid. Pers. æamæe@r, NPers. æamæ^r).

Some Iranian loanwords present in Georgian as military terms are used in civilian life as well: aspáarez-i "arena, hippodrome, square, stadium," in Old Georgian "distance equal to 195 steps" (from Mid. Pers. aspre@s "hippodrome" < aspra@s, where the first component is asp "horse" and the second ra@s "road, way"); droæa "banner, flag," early form drau‘-i (from Mid. Pers. drafæ, NPers. derafæ, Av. drafæa-); navard-i "robbery, running," Old Georgian "bird's flight" (from NPers. navard, nabard "battle, combat," Mid. Pers. nibard "battle, fighting, quarrel").

Vocabulary of daily life. Many words borrowed from Iranian languages pertain to aspects of everyday life (work and occupations, household items, clothes, various tools, etc.): ayvan-i "balcony, porch" (NPers. ayva@n "hall, portico, balcony, open gallery"); akhor-i, Old Georgian "cow-shed," modern Georgian "stables" (NPers. a@kòor; Mid. Pers. a@xwarr "stables"); bag-i "garden, orchard" (from NPers. ba@g@ "garden"; Pa@zand bag "part, share," Av. ba@ga- "God's share," cf. Georgian baghcha "small garden" < NPers. ba@g@±a); bostÂan-i, Old Georgian "garden, orchard," modern Georgian "kitchen garden" (from NPers. bu@sta@n "garden"); cha "well" (from Mid. Pers. and NPers. ±a@h, Av. ±a@t-); chadraká-i "chess" (from Mid. Pers. ±atrang, Skt. ±atur.anµga-, NPers. æatranj); charkh-i "lathe, wheel" (from NPers. ±arkò "circulation, circle, orbit, wheel" < Mid. Pers. ±axr < Av. ±axra-); chashniká-i "degustation, tasting," Old Georgian ±áaænagir-i "taster" (NPers. ±a@æn^ "taste, tasting"); ±ogan-i "polo-club, racket; small spade" (from NPers. ±owga@n < Mid. Pers. ±o@pe@ka@n, ±o@£e@ga@n < ±o@b "wood, stick"); dastáa "a number of similar objects; bunch, pack, ensemble, team" (from NPers. dasta "group, team, bundle, bunch); dastáakar-i "surgeon" (< NPers. dastka@r "dexterous, expert; a person who works with his hands"); dazga "bench, carpenter's bench, machine" (from NPers. dastga@h "apparatus, installation"); do "whey" (Mid. Pers. do@ "refreshing drink made from milk"); dostÂakan-i "large goblet, bowl" (< NPers. du@st-ka@m^ "toast, wine drunk to a friends health; large vessel for wine"); dukard-i "shears" (from NPers. doka@rd "scissors, shears" < do "two," and ka@rd "knife"; cf. Georgian karda); durbind-i "binoculars, field-glasses" (< NPers. du@rb^n); kamar-i "belt, waist" (from NPers. kamar < Mid. Pers. kamar, Av. kamara@-); kap-i "foam" (from NPers. kaf, Mid. Pers. kaf); kapkir-i "skimmer" (NPers. kafg^r); karavan-i "caravan" (from NPers. ka@rava@n < Mid. Pers. ka@rva@n); karkhana "factory" (NPers. ka@r-kòa@na "factory, workshop"); karvasla "station, trading center" (from NPers. ka@rava@n-sara@ "caravansaray"; the reduction of the vowel and r > l are characteristic of Georgian, cf. Georgian sra "palace"); kucha "street" (from NPers. ku@±a "street, road"); khali, khalicha "carpet" (NPers. qa@l^, qa@l^±a); kheivan-i "path, walk" (NPers. kò^a@ba@n "avenue, boulevard, walk"); khorag-i (colloquial) "food" (from NPers. kòora@k, Av. xúar-); khurda "small cash, change; rubble" (< kòorda "bits, fragments" < Mid. Pers. xwurdag "small"); khvastÂag-i, khostÂag-i "wealth, cattle" (from Mid. Pers. xúa@stak "wealth," NPers. kòúa@sta); jam-i "vessel, bowl" (< NPers. ja@m "cup, goblet, bowl," < Mid. Pers. ja@m, Av. yama-); marag-i "quantity, stock" (from Mid. Pers. marak "number, quantity" < Av. mar- "measure"); nav-i "ship, boat" (cf. Old Pers. na@viya@ "navy," NPers. na@v "war-ship, boat"); panjara "window" (NPers. panjara); polak-i "button" (NPers. pu@lak "scales, spangles, small coin"); pul-i "money" (NPers. pu@l); rochik-i "food, ration" (from Mid. Pers. ro@z^k "daily ration" < ro@z "day," and suffix -^k); sardap-i "basement, cellar" (NPers. sarda@b; final b > p); shusha "glass, flask" (NPers. æ^æa "glass, vessel, bottle, flask"); tÂakhtÂ-i "seat, throne, bed" (NPers. takòt "throne, sofa"); táÂakhtárevan-i (obsolete) "litter, palanquin" (NPers. takòt[-e] rava@n); táom-i "tribe, family" (< Mid. Pers. to@m "seed, family, progeny" < Av. taoxman-, Old Pers. tauma@-).

Names of plants and animals: vard-i "rose" (cf. Av. var™’a-, Arm. vard, NPers. vard "red rose"); mikhaká-i "carnation" (NPers. m^kòak); bamba "cotton" (NPers. panba, pamba; initial p > b); badrijan-i "eggplant" (NPers. ba@denja@n); gulab-i "a kind of pear" (NPers. gola@b^ "pear"); ni-goz-i "nut-kernel" (from Mid. Pers. go@z, NPers. gowz "walnut"; cf. Georgian gozinaqá-i "nuts boiled in honey" < Mid. Pers. go@ze@nag); veæapá-i "whale; monster, dragon" (from Mid. Pers. wiæa@p < Av. viæa@pa- "dragon," an epithet of A‘i Daha@ka, q.v.); vigr "leopard," cf. Arm. vagr "tiger" (from Mid. Pers. babr); siasamur-i "sable," lit. "black sable" (from NPers. s^a@h and samu@r < Parth. simo@r, Mid. Pers. samo@r); spilo, pilo "elephant" (from Mid. Pers. p^l; initial s before p, cf. spars-i "Persian").

Weights and measures: griv-i, a dry measure equal to 22 ksests (Arm. griv, NPers. jar^b, a square measure); káabich-i, equal to three grivs (from Mid. Pers. kab^z, NPers. kav^‘, kav^z, Arm. kapi±); charek-i, a quarter of a measure of weight or capacity, a liquid capacity measure equal approximately to one liter (from NPers. ±a@rak "quarter, measure of weight" < ±aha@r-yak).

As might be expected, there are many formations in Georgian deriving from Iranian stems which are so well established that they are not regarded as an alien borrowing: i.e., ga-biabru-eba "humiliate,d disgraced" (from NPers. b^-a@bru@ "disgraced, dishonored"); gamo-komag-eba "help, support" < komag-i "protector, patron" (NPers. komak).

Bibliography: V. Abaev, Istoriko-etimologicheski¥ slovar' osetinskogo yazyka (Historical-etymological dictionary of the Ossetic language), 4 vols., Moscow and Leningrad, 1958-89. I. Abuladze, Zveli kartuli enis leksikoni: masalebi (Dictionary of the Old Georgian language), Tbilisi, 1973. M. Andronikashvili, Narkvevebi iranul-kartul enobrivi urtiertobidan (Essays on Iranian-Georgian linguistic contacts), Tbilisi, 1966 (summary in English pp. 547-71). C. Bartholomae, Altiranisches Wörterbuch, Strassburg, 1904. A. Chikobava, ed., Kartuli enis ganmartebiti leksikoni (Explanatory dictionary of the Georgian language), 8 vols., Tbilisi, 1950-64. T. Chkheidze, Ocherki po iransko¥ onomastike (Studies in Iranian onomastics), Tbilisi, 1984 (in Georgian). J. Gippert, Iranica Armeno-Iberica: Studien zu den iranischen Lehnwortern im Armenischen und Georgischen, 2 vols., Bamberg, 1990. H. Hübschmann, Armenische Grammatik I: Armenische Etymologie, Hildesheim, and New York, 1972. M. Mayrhofer, ed., Iranisches Personennamenbuch, 5 vols., Vienna, 1977-79. O. Tedeevi, Narkvevebi osur-kartuli enobrivi urtiertobidan (Essays on Ossetic-Georgian linguistic contacts), Tbilisi, 1988.

(THEA CHKEIDZE)