On the etymological stratification of borrowed Indo-Iranian vocabulary in Burushaski

Anton Kogan (Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow; kogan_anton@yahoo.com)

Journal of Language Relationship, № 22/1-2, 2024 - p.21-42

Abstract: In this paper, I attempt to refine the generally accepted view on the origin of Indo-Iranian loan vocabulary in Burushaski. Having analyzed extensive lexical material, I come to the conclusion that a very large part of this vocabulary was borrowed before the split of the Proto-Burushaski state, and cannot be derived from any of the traditionally identified donor languages (i.e. Shina, Khowar, Urdu, Persian and East Iranian Pamir languages). It is also demonstrated that this “pan-Burushaski” segment of the Indo-Iranian lexical stratum is etymologically heterogeneous, with some Dardic lect as one of the possible sources.

Keywords: Burushaski language, Indo-Iranian languages, Dardic languages, language contact, lexical borrowing, etymology

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