*orja

Meaning

1. slave?
2. southerner?

Etymology / origin

Traditionally taken as a borrowing from the Proto-Indo-Iranian autonym *áryas, or from an earlier stage of development (practically Proto-Indo-European) *óryos, with meaning 'slave' developing in a similar way as Latin sclavus (“slave”) from Sclavus (“Slav”). EVE supports this etymology and argues that the meaning "south, southerner" is a parallel development from the Indo-Aryan endonym through the meaning "a people living south". Alternative theories exist as well, however, but are not as widely accepted. SSA argues that a borrowing from *áryas is unlikely due to the semantic gap. Koivulehto proposed that the reflexes meaning 'slave, servant' may instead derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *werǵ- (“to work”), but this is phonologically problematic. Koivulehto later expressed support for the aforementioned etymology from *áryas.

Related words

Sources

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