Selected Features of Bactrian Grammar Dissertation zur Erlangung des philosophischen Doktorgrades an der Philosophischen Fakultät der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Vorgelegt von Saloumeh Gholami Aus Teheran (Iran) Göttingen 2009 i Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... ix Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................. x 1. Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................... 2 1.1 Bactria ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Bactrian language and script ................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Bactrian sources ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.3.1 Coins ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Seals ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.3 Inscriptions ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Surkh Kotal .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Rabatak........................................................................................................................................................... 4 The other inscriptions ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.4 Manuscripts .......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.5 Documents ............................................................................................................................................ 5 1. Legal documents ........................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Lists and accounts ...................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Letters......................................................................................................................................................... 6 4. Buddhist texts ............................................................................................................................................. 6 5. Fragments of documents of uncertain type ................................................................................................ 6 1.4 Aims and assumptions .............................................................................................................. 6 2. Chapter Two: Historical phonology of Bactrian ......................................................... 8 2.1 Consonants ................................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 Simple Consonants .................................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1 PIr. plosives .......................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.1.1 PIr. *p, *t, *k ............................................................................................................................... 9 *# p> p ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 *-p- > v and b ................................................................................................................................................. 9 *# t > t .......................................................................................................................................................... 10 *t > d, đ ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 *# k- > k ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 *-k- > g ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1.2 PIr. *b, *d, *g ............................................................................................................................ 11 *b > <β>=[v] ................................................................................................................................................ 11 *d > l ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 *g > γ ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 2.2.1.3 PIr. *č, *ǰ ................................................................................................................................... 12 *č > ʦ ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.2 PIr. fricatives and affricates ................................................................................................................ 13 2.2.2.1 PIr. *f, *θ, *x............................................................................................................................. 13 *f > f ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 *θ > h .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 *x> x ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 2.2.2.2 PIr. *s, *z .................................................................................................................................. 13 *s > s ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 *s > ś ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 *z > z ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 2.2.2.3 PIr. *š ........................................................................................................................................ 14 *-š- > š .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 *-š- > h ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.2.4 PIr. *h ........................................................................................................................................ 14 *h > h ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 ii 2.2.3 PIr. Sonorants ..................................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.3.1 PIr. *m, *n ................................................................................................................................. 14 *m > m ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 *-n- > n ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.3.2 PIr.*r ......................................................................................................................................... 15 *-r- > -r- ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.3.3 PIr. *w ....................................................................................................................................... 15 *w > w .......................................................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.3.4 PIr. *y .......................................................................................................................................