Editing Scythian languages

{{Short description|Group of Eastern Iranic languages}}
{{Other uses|Scythian (disambiguation)}}
{{Split|date=November 2024|Pontic Scythian language|discuss=Talk:Scythian languages#Language family vs individual languages}}{{Infobox language family
| name          = Scythian
| mapcaption    = The approximate distribution of [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic languages]] and peoples in 100 BC appears in green.
| map           = File:Assimilation of Baltic and Aryan Peoples by Uralic Speakers in the Middle and Upper Volga Basin (Shaded Relief BG).png
| region        = [[Central Asia]], [[West Asia]], [[Eastern Europe]]
| ethnicity     = [[Scythians]], [[Sarmatians]], and [[Alans]]
| familycolor   = Indo-European
| fam2          = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranic]]
| fam3          = [[Iranian languages|Iranic]]
| fam4          = [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic]]
| glotto        = sogd1247
| glottoname    = Sogdic-Ossetic
| glotto2       = saka1303
| glottoname2   = Saka-Wakhi
| notes         = {{Plain list|'''ISO 639-3 codes'''
* <code>[https://iso639-3.sil.org/code/xsc xsc]</code>: Scythian
* <code>[https://iso639-3.sil.org/code/xln xln]</code>: Alanian
* <code>[https://iso639-3.sil.org/code/oos oos]</code>: Old Ossetian}}
| child1        = (Western) [[Cimmerian language|Cimmerian]] {{extinct}}
| child2        = (Western) Pontic Scythian {{extinct}}
| child3        = (Western) [[Alanic language|Alanic]]
| child4        = (Eastern) [[Saka language|Scytho-Khotanese]] {{extinct}}
}}

{{pp-pc}}
{{Indo-European}}
{{Contains special characters|cuneiform}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Pontic Scythian
| mapcaption     = The approximate distribution of [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic languages]] and peoples in 100 BC appears in green.
| map            = File:Assimilation of Baltic and Aryan Peoples by Uralic Speakers in the Middle and Upper Volga Basin (Shaded Relief BG).png
| imagescale       = 1.1
| states           = [[Sarmatia]], [[Scythia]], [[Scythia Minor (Crimea)|Scythia]] [[Scythia Minor (Dobruja)|Minor]]
| region           = [[West Asia]], [[Eastern Europe]]
| ethnicity        = [[Scythians]] and [[Sarmatians]]
| era              = [[Classical antiquity]], [[late antiquity]]
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranic]]
| fam3             = [[Iranian languages|Iranic]]
| fam4             = [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic]]
| fam5             = Scythian
| notice           = IPA
| lc1              = xsc
| ld1              = Scythian
| linglist         = xsc
| lingname         = Scythian
| glotto           = none
}}
The '''Scythian languages''' <span class="noexcerpt">({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɪ|θ|i|ə|n}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɪ|ð|i|ə|n}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|k|ɪ|θ|i|ə|n}})</span> are a group of [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic languages]] of the [[classical antiquity|classical]] and [[late antiquity|late antique]] period (the [[Middle Iranian languages|Middle Iranic]] period), spoken in a vast region of [[Eurasia]] by the populations belonging to the [[Scythian cultures]] and their descendants. The dominant ethnic groups among the Scythian-speakers were [[nomadic pastoralists]] of Central Asia and the [[Pontic–Caspian steppe]]. Fragments of their speech known from inscriptions and words quoted in ancient authors as well as analysis of their names indicate that it was an [[Indo-European language]], more specifically from the [[Iranian languages|Iranic]] group of [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranic]] languages.

Most of the Scythian languages eventually became extinct, except for modern [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]] (which descends from the [[Alanic language|Alanic dialect]] of Scytho-Sarmatian), [[Wakhi language|Wakhi]] (which descends from the [[Kingdom of Khotan|Khotanese]] and [[Tumxuk|Tumshuqese]] forms of [[Saka language|Scytho-Khotanese]]), and [[Yaghnobi language|Yaghnobi]] (which descends from [[Sogdian language|Sogdian]]). [[Alexander Lubotsky]] summarizes the known linguistic landscape as follows:<ref>{{harvnb|Lubotsky|2002|p=190}}.</ref>
{{Blockquote|Unfortunately, we know next to nothing about the Scythian of that period [Old Iranian] – we have only a couple of personal and tribal names in Greek and Persian sources at our disposal – and cannot even determine with any degree of certainty whether it was a single language.}}

== Classification ==
Ossetian is an  [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic]] language. The vast majority of Scythological scholars agree in considering the Scythian languages a part of the Eastern Iranic languages too. This relies principally on the fact that the Greek inscriptions of the Northern Black Sea Coast contain several hundreds of Sarmatian names showing a close affinity to the [[Ossetian language]].<ref>Compare L. Zgusta, ''Die griechischen Personennamen griechischer Städte der nördlichen Schwarzmeerküste'' [The Greek personal names of the Greek cities of the northern Black Sea coast], 1955.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Autochthonous Aryans? The Evidence from Old Indian and Iranian Texts |first=Michael |last=Witzel |author-link=Michael Witzel |journal=Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies |volume=7 |issue=3 |year=2001 |pages=1–115 |doi=10.11588/ejvs.2001.3.830|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Some scholars detect a division of Scythian into two dialects: a western, more conservative dialect, and an eastern, more innovative one.<ref>
E.g. Harmatta 1970.{{page needed|date=October 2010}}
</ref> The Scythian languages may have formed a [[dialect continuum]]:
* '''[[Alanic language]]s''' or '''Scytho-Sarmatian''' in the west: were spoken by people originally of Iranic stock from the 8th and 7th century BC onwards in the area of [[Ukraine]], Southern [[Russia]] and [[Kazakhstan]].
**Modern [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]] survives as a continuation of the language family ''possibly'' represented by Scytho-Sarmatian inscriptions, although the Scytho-Sarmatian language family "does not simply represent the same [Ossetian] language" at an earlier date.
[[File:Khotanese animal zodiac BLI6 OR11252 1R2 1.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|A document from [[Khotan]] written in [[Saka language|Khotanese Saka]], part of the [[Eastern Iranian languages|Eastern Iranic branch]] of the [[Indo-European languages]], listing the animals of the [[Chinese zodiac]] in the cycle of predictions for people born in that year; ink on paper, early 9th century]]
* '''[[Saka language]]s''' or '''Scytho-Khotanese''' in the east: spoken in the first century in the [[Kingdom of Khotan]] (located in present-day [[Xinjiang]], China), and including the '''Khotanese''' of [[Khotan]] and '''Tumshuqese''' of [[Tumxuk|Tumshuq]].<ref>Schmitt, Rüdiger (ed.), Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, Reichert, 1989.{{page needed|date=October 2010}}</ref>

It is highly probable that already in the Old Iranic period, there were some eastern Scythian dialects which gave rise to the ancestor(s) of the [[Sogdian language|Sogdian]] and [[Yaghnobi language|Yaghnobi]] languages, although data required to test this hypothesis is presently lacking.{{sfn|Novák|2013|p=11}}

The Scythian languages shared some features with other Eastern Iranic languages, such as the use of the suffix {{Transliteration|xsc|-ta}} to denote the plural form, which is also present in [[Sogdian language|Sogdian]], [[Khwarezmian language|Chorasmian]], [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]], and [[Yaghnobi language|Yaghnobi]].{{sfn|Ivantchik|1999a|p=156-158}}

==Phonology==
The Pontic Scythian language possessed the following phonemes:{{sfn|Novák|2013|p=10}}

{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Vowels
! 
!colspan=2| Front
!colspan=2| Back
|-
! Close
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|i}} || style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|iː}}
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|u}} || style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|uː}}
|-
! Mid
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|eː}}|| style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|oː}}|| style=border-left-width:0|
|-
! Open
|style=border-width:0|
|style=border-width:0|{{IPA link|a}}
|style=border-width:0|{{IPA link|aː}}
|style=border-width:0|
|}

{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Consonants
!
!colspan=2|[[Labial consonant|Labial]]
!colspan=2|[[Dental consonant|Dental]]
!colspan=2|[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
!colspan=2|[[Postalveolar consonant|Postalveolar]]
!colspan=2|[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
!colspan=2|[[Velar consonant|Velar]]
!colspan=2|[[Labialized velar consonant|Labiovelar]]
!colspan=2|[[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
![[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|p}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|b}}
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|t}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|d}} (earliest)
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|k}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|-
![[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|t͡s}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|-
![[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|f}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|θ}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|ð}} (earlier)
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|s}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|z}}
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|ʃ}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|ʒ}}
|colspan=2|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|x}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|xʷ}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|h}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|-
![[Sonorant]]
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|m}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|l}} (later)||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|n}}||style=border-left-width:0|{{IPA link|r}}
|colspan=2|
|style=border-right-width:0|{{IPA link|j}}||style=border-left-width:0|
|style=border-right-width:0|({{IPA link|ŋ}})||style=border-left-width:0|
|colspan=2|{{IPA link|w}}
|colspan=2|
|}

''This article uses cursive theta {{angbr|ϑ}} to denote the Scythian [[voiceless dental fricative]] (IPA {{IPAslink|θ}}), and regular theta {{angbr|θ}} to denote the Greek [[Aspirated consonant|aspirated]], [[voiceless dental plosive]] (IPA {{IPAslink|tʰ}}).''

The western dialects of the Scythian languages had experienced an evolution of the Proto-Iranic sound {{IPA|/d/}} into the Proto-Scythian sound {{IPA|/ð/}}, which in the [[Cimmerian language|Cimmerian]] and Pontic dialects of Scythian became the sound {{IPA|/l/}}. Scythian shares the evolution of Proto-Iranic sound {{IPA|/d/}} into {{IPA|/ð/}} with all Eastern Iranic languages with the exception of [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]], [[Yaghnobi language|Yaghnobi]], and [[Ishkashimi language|Ishkashimi]]; and the later evolution of {{IPA|/ð/}} into {{IPA|/l/}} is also present in several Eastern Iranic languages such as [[Bactrian language|Bactrian]], [[Pashto]], [[Munji language|Munjani]], and [[Yidgha language|Yidgha]].{{sfn|Ivantchik|1999a|p=156-158}}{{sfn|Novák|2013|p=10}}

== History ==
Early Eastern Iranic peoples originated in the [[Yaz culture]] (ca. 1500–1100 BC) in [[Central Asia]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture|year=1997|publisher=Dearborn|location=London|isbn=9781884964985|page=310|author=J.P.Mallory|author-link=D.Q.Adams}}</ref> The Scythians migrated from Central Asia toward [[Eastern Europe]] in the 8th and 7th century BC, occupying today's Southern [[Russia]] and [[Ukraine]] and the [[Carpathian Basin]] and parts of [[Moldova]] and [[Dobruja]]. They disappeared from history after the [[Huns|Hunnish]] invasion of Europe in the 5th century AD, and Turkic ([[Pannonian Avars|Avar]], [[Pechenegs|Batsange]], etc.) and Slavic peoples probably assimilated most people speaking Scythian.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} However, in the [[Caucasus]], the [[Ossetian language]] belonging to the Scythian linguistic continuum remains in use {{As of|2007|alt=today}}, while in Central Asia, some languages belonging to Eastern Iranic group are still spoken, namely [[Pashto language|Pashto]], the [[Pamir languages]] and [[Yaghnobi language|Yaghnobi]].
<!-- between the [[8th century BC]] and the 5th century AD. Up to the 4th century AD we have only a few words from any of these languages, substantial evidence of Sogdian and Saka dating from a later period.-->

== Corpus ==

=== Inscriptions ===

Some scholars ascribe certain inscribed objects found in the [[Carpathian Basin]] and in [[Central Asia]] to the Scythians, but the interpretation of these inscriptions remains disputed (given that nobody has definitively identified the alphabet or translated the content).

===Issyk inscription===
The [[Issyk inscription]] is not yet certainly deciphered, and is probably in a Scythian dialect, constituting one of very few [[autochthonous language|autochthonous]] epigraphic traces of that language. [[János Harmatta]], using the [[Kharoṣṭhī]] script, identified the language as a [[Khotanese Saka]] dialect spoken by the [[Kushans]], tentatively translating:{{sfn|Harmatta|1992|p=412}}
{| class ="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Issyk inscription
|-
!Line
!Transliteration
!English translation
|- 
| '''1'''
| {{transliteration|xsc|za(ṃ)-ri ko-la(ṃ) mi(ṃ)-vaṃ vaṃ-va pa-zaṃ pa-na de-ka mi(ṃ)-ri-to}}
| {{lang|en|The vessel should hold wine of grapes, added cooked food, so much, to the mortal, }}
|-
| '''2'''
| {{transliteration|xsc|ña-ka mi pa-zaṃ vaṃ-va va-za(ṃ)-na vaṃ.}}
| {{lang|en|then added cooked fresh butter on}}
|-
|}

=== Personal names ===

The primary sources for Scythian words remain the Scythian toponyms, tribal names, and numerous personal names in the ancient Greek texts and in the Greek inscriptions found in the Greek colonies on the Northern [[Black Sea]] Coast. These names suggest that the Sarmatian language had close similarities to modern Ossetian.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lincoln |first1=Bruce |title=Once again 'the Scythian' myth of origins (Herodotus 4.5–10) |journal=Nordlit |date=2014 |volume=33 |issue=<!-- Citation bot no-->|pages=19–34 |doi=10.7557/13.3188|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Recorded Scythian personal names include:

{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Attested forms !! Notes 
|-
| [[Ariapeithes|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Ariyapaiϑah}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Αριαπειθης|translit=Ariapeithēs}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Hinz|1975|page=[https://archive.org/details/AltiranischesSprachgutDerNebenberlieferungen/page/n19/mode/2up 40]}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*Ariya-}}, meaning "[[Aryan]]" and "[[Iranian peoples|Iranic]]."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*paiϑah-}}, meaning "decoration" and "adornment." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paēsa}}).
|-
| [[Idanthyrsus|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Hiϑāmϑrauša}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Ιδανθυρσος|translit=Idanthursos}}
|| Meaning "prospering the ally." Composed of:{{sfn|Schwartz|Manaster Ramer|2019|p=359-360}}
:a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬵𐬌𐬚𐬄𐬨}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|hiϑąm}}), meaning "companion."
:a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬱}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|ϑraoš-}}), meaning "to prosper."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Hupāyā}}
|| {{langx|grc|Οποιη|translit=Opoiē}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*hu-}}, "good."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pāyā-}}, "protection"; an abstraction of the root {{Transliteration|xsc|*pā-}}, "to protect."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Pālaka}}
|| {{langx|grc|Παλακος|translit=Palakos}}
|| From an earlier form {{transliteration|xsc|*Pāδaka}} after the evolution of Proto-Iranic /d/ to Proto-Scythian /δ/ to Scythian /l/. Means "tall-legged" and "long-legged." Composed of:{{sfn|Kullanda|Raevskiy|2004|p=93}}{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005a|p=88}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pāla-}}, "foot," from earlier {{Transliteration|xsc|*pāδa-}}.
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
|-
| [[Bartatua|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Pṛtatavah}}]]
| rowspan="2"| {{langx|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒁹𒁇𒋫𒌅𒀀}}|translit=Bartatua}} or {{Transliteration|akk|Partatua}}<ref>{{harvnb|Ivantchik|1999b|pp=508–509}}: "Though Madyes himself is not mentioned in Akkadian texts, his father, the Scythian king {{Transliteration|akk|Par-ta-tu-a}}, whose identification with {{lang|grc|Προτοθύης}} of Herodotus is certain."</ref><br/> {{langx|grc|Προτοθυης|translit=Protothuēs}} 
|| Means "who is mighty in battle." Composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2011|p=63}}{{sfn|Kullanda|Raevskiy|2004|p=94}}{{sfn|Melikov|2016|p=78-80}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pṛta-}} "battle." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬆𐬱𐬀𐬥𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|pəšana}}) and [[Vedic Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|पृत्}} ({{Transliteration|sa|pṛt-}}), both meaning "battle."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
| [[Bartatua|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Pr̥ϑutavā}}]]
|Composed of:<ref>{{cite web |last=Schmitt |first=Rüdiger |author-link=Rüdiger Schmitt |date=2000 |title=PROTOTHYES |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/protothyes |access-date=12 November 2021 |website=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |publisher=}}</ref>{{sfn|Bukharin|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pr̥ϑu-}} "wide, broad." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬎}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|pərᵊϑu-}}).
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Šaitafarna}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σαιταφαρνος|translit=Saitapharnos}} or {{langx|grc|Σαιταφαρνης|translit=Saitapharnēs}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšaitafarna}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} possibly meaning "with a bright [[khvarenah|{{Transliteration|xsc|farna}}]]," itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=273-274}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšaita-}}, "brilliant."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-farna}}, "[[khvarenah]]."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Šaϑraka}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σατρακης|translit=Satrakēs}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšaϑraka}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=270-271}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšaϑra-}}, "power."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
Cognate with [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]] {{lang|os|Æхсæртæг}} ({{Transliteration|os|Æxsærtæg}}){{sfn|Alemany|2006|p=33}} and {{lang|os|Æхсæртæггатӕ}} ({{Transliteration|os|Æxsærtæggatæ}}).{{sfn|Ivantchik|2005|p=183}}
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Šīraka}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σιρακης|translit=Sirakēs}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšīraka}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} possibly meaning "milk-consumer," itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=270-271}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšīra-}}, "milk."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
|-
| [[Scilurus|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Skilura}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σκιλουρος|translit=Skilouros}}
|| From an earlier form {{transliteration|xsc|*Skiδura}} after the evolution of Proto-Iranic /d/ to Proto-Scythian /δ/ to Scythian /l/. Means "sharp" and "victorious."{{sfn|Kullanda|Raevskiy|2004|p=93}}
|-
| [[Scyles|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Skula}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σκυλης|translit=Skulēs}}
|| From the Scythian [[Endonym and exonym|endonym]] {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skula}}, itself a later dialectal form of {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skuδa}} resulting from a sound change from /δ/ to /l/.{{sfn|Ivantchik|2018}}
|-
| [[Išpakaia|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spakāya}}]]
|| {{langx|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒁹𒅖𒉺𒅗𒀀𒀀}}|translit=Išpakāya}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Išpakaia [CHIEFTAIN OF THE SCYTHIANS] (RN) |url=http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/cbd/qpn/x00033830.html |website=[[Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus]] |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania]] |access-date=2023-04-30 |archive-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430004048/http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/cbd/qpn/x00033830.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|| Hypocoristic derivation from the word {{Transliteration|xsc|*spaka}}, meaning "dog."{{sfn|Ivantchik|2005|p=188}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2009|p=93–94}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}
|-
| [[Spargapises|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapis}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σπαργαπισης|translit=Spargapisēs}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*sparga-}} "scion" and "descendant." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬖𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|sparᵊγa}}).
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pis-}} "decoration" and "adornment." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paēsa}}).
{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapis}} and {{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapaiϑah}} are variants of the same name.{{sfn|Hinz|1975||page=[https://archive.org/details/AltiranischesSprachgutDerNebenberlieferungen/page/n111/mode/2up 226]}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}
|-
| [[Spargapeithes (disambiguation)|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapaiϑah}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σπαργαπειθης|translit=Spargapeithēs}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*sparga-}} "scion" and "descendant." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬖𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|sparᵊγa}}).
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*paiϑah-}} "decoration" and "adornment." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paēsa}}).
{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapaiϑah}} and {{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapis}} are variants of the same name.{{sfn|Hinz|1975||page=[https://archive.org/details/AltiranischesSprachgutDerNebenberlieferungen/page/n111/mode/2up 226]}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}
|-
| [[Tirgatao|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Tigratavā}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Τιργαταω|translit=Tirgataō}}
|| Means "with the strength of an arrow." Composed of:<ref>{{cite book |last=Mayor |first=Adrienne |author-link=Adrienne Mayor |date=2014 |title=The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World |url= |location=[[Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton]], [[United States]] |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |pages=370–371 |isbn=978-0-691-14720-8 }}</ref>{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*tigra-}} "arrow." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬌𐬖𐬭𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|tiγri-}}), "arrow."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
| [[Tomyris|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Taumuriya}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Τομυρις|translit=Tomuris}}
|| Derived from a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬊𐬑𐬨𐬀𐬥}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|taoxman}}) and [[Old Persian]] {{lang|peo|{{script|Xpeo|{{small|[[wikt:𐎫𐎢𐎶𐎠|𐎫𐎢𐎶𐎠]]}}}}}} ({{Transliteration|peo|taumā}}), meaning "seed," "germ," and "kinship."{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
|-
| [[Octamasades|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Uxtamazatā}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Οκταμασαδης|translit=Oktamasadēs}}
|| Means "possessing greatness through his words." Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*uxta-}}, "word." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬎𐬑𐬙𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|uxta}}), "spoken," and {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬎𐬑𐬜𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|uxδa}}), "word."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-mazatā-}}, "great."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Varika}}
|| {{langx|grc|Ορικος|translit=Orikos}}
|| Hypocorostic derivation from the word {{Transliteration|xsc|*vari-}}, meaning "chest armour, armour." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|vaⁱri-}}), {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|uuari-}}) "chest armour."{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
|}

===Tribal names===
Recorded Scythian tribal names include:

{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Attested forms !! Notes 
|-
| [[Agathyrsi|{{transliteration|xsc|*Haxāϑrauša}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Αγαϑυρσοι|translit=Agathursoi}}
|| Means "prospering the friend/socius." Composed of:{{sfn|Schwartz|Manaster Ramer|2019|p=359-360}}
:a cognate of [[Old Persian]] {{lang|peo|𐏃𐎧𐎠}} ({{Transliteration|ae|haxā-}}), meaning "friend."
:a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬱}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|ϑraoš-}}), meaning "to prosper."
|-
| [[Siraces|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Šīraka}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σιρακες|translit=Sirakes}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšīraka}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} possibly meaning "milk-consumer," itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=270-271}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšīra-}}, "milk."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc-x-pontic|*Skuδa|}}{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005a|p=68-84}}{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005b|p=296}}
|| {{langx|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒅖𒆪𒍝𒀀𒀀}}|translit=Iškuzaya}}
:::{{lang|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒊍𒄖𒍝𒀀𒀀}}}} ({{Transliteration|akk|Asguzaya}})
:::{{lang|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒊍𒆪𒍝𒀀𒀀}}}} ({{Transliteration|akk|Askuzaya}})
:::{{lang|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒀾𒄖𒍝𒀀𒀀}}}} ({{Transliteration|akk|Ašguzaya}})
{{langx|grc|Σκυθαι|translit=Skuthai}}
|| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skuδa}}, the Scythian endonym,{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005a|p=68-84}}{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005b|p=296}}

From the Proto-Indo-European root ''{{PIE|skewd-}}'', itself meaning {{lit|shooter, archer}}, whence also English "{{Transliteration|en|shoot}}".{{sfn|Szemerényi|1980|p=20-21}}
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skula}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σκωλοτοι|translit=Skōlotoi}}{{sfn|Witczak|1999|p=52-53}}{{sfn|Novák|2013|p=10}}
|| Later form of {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skuδa}} resulting from the evolution of Proto-Scythian /δ/ into Scythian /l/.{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005a|p=68-84}}
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Paralāta}}
|| {{langx|grc|Παραλαται|translit=Paralatai}}{{sfn|Witczak|1999|p=52-53}}{{sfn|Novák|2013|p=10}}
|| Cognate with Young Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬜𐬁𐬙𐬀‎}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|Paraδāta}}), meaning "placed at the front."{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}
|}

===Place names===
Some scholars believe that many toponyms and hydronyms of the Russian and Ukrainian steppe have Scythian links. For example, [[Max Vasmer|Vasmer]] associates the name of the river [[Don River, Russia|Don]] with an assumed/reconstructed unattested Scythian word *''dānu'' "water, river", and with Avestan ''dānu-'', Pashto ''dand'' and Ossetian ''don''.<ref>[[Max Vasmer|M. Vasmer]], ''Untersuchungen über die ältesten Wohnsitze der Slaven. Die Iranier in Südrußland'', Leipzig 1923, 74.</ref>
The river names [[Don River (Russia)|Don]], [[Donets]], [[Dnieper]], [[Danube]], and [[Dniester]], and lake [[Donuzlav]] (the deepest one in [[Crimea]]) may also belong with the same word-group.<ref>{{cite journal|author1-link=Paul Kretschmer|first1=Paul|last1= Kretschmer|title= Zum Balkan-Skythischen|journal=Glotta|volume= 24 |date=1935|pages= 1–56 [7–56]|jstor=40265408|issue=1–2}}</ref>

Recorded Scythian place names include:

{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Attested forms !! Notes 
|-
| [[Dnieper|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Baurustāna}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Βορυσθενης|translit=Borusthenēs}}
|| Means "place of beavers." Composed of:{{sfn|Kullanda|2013|p=39-41}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*bauru-}} "beaver." Cognate of:
:* [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬠𐬀𐬡𐬭𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|baβra}}) and {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬠𐬀𐬡𐬭𐬌‎}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|baβri}}), meaning "beaver"
:* [[Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|बभ्रु}} ({{Transliteration|sa|babhrú}}) and {{lang|sa|बभ्रुक}} ({{Transliteration|sa|bábhruka}}), meaning "mongoose"
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*stāna}} "space."
|-
| {{lang|xsc|*Dānu}}
|| {{langx|grc|Ταναις|translit=Tanais}}
|| Means "river."{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
|-
| {{lang|xsc|*Pantikapa}}
|| {{langx|grc|Παντικαπαιον|translit=Pantikapaion}}
|| Means "fish-path." Composed of:<ref>{{cite book |last=Diakonoff |first=I. M. |author-link=Igor M. Diakonoff |editor-last=Gershevitch |editor-first=Ilya |editor-link=Ilya Gershevitch |date=1985 |title=The Cambridge History of Iran |volume=2 |chapter=Media |url= |location=[[Cambridge]] |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |pages=93 |isbn=978-0-521-20091-2 }}</ref>
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*panti-}}, "path." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬧‎𐬙𐬃‎}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paṇ‎tā̊}}), "path."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*kapa-}}, "fish." Compare with Khotanese [[Saka language|Saka]] {{Transliteration|kho|kavā}}, [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]] {{lang|os|{{script|Cyrl|Кӕф}}}} {{Transliteration|os|kæf}}, and [[Pashto]] [[wiktionary:کب#Pashto|کب]] (Kab).
|-
| [[Volga|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Rahā}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Ρα|translit=Rha}}
|| Means "wetness." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬭𐬀𐬢𐬵𐬁}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|raŋhā}}) and [[Vedic Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|{{script|Deva|रसा}}}} ({{Transliteration|sa|rasā́}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/arang-river |title=ARANG |last=Brunner |first=C. J. |date=1986 |website=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |publisher= |access-date=13 August 2022 |quote=Middle Persian {{Transliteration|pal|Arang|italics=no}}/{{Transliteration|pal|Arag|italics=no}} renders Avestan {{Transliteration|ae|Raŋhā|italics=no}}, which is cognate with the Scythian name {{Transliteration|grc|Rhâ|italics=no}} ({{Transliteration|xsc|*Rahā|italics=no}}) transmitted by Ptolemy }}</ref>
|-
| [[Don (river)|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Varu}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Οαρος|translit=Oaros}}
|| Means "broad."{{sfn|Harmatta|1999|p=129}}
|}

=== Herodotus' Scythian etymologies ===

The Greek historian [[Herodotus]] provides another source of Scythian; he reports that the Scythians called the [[Amazons]] ''Oiorpata'', and explains the name as a compound of ''oior'', meaning "man", and ''pata'', meaning "to kill" (''Hist''. 4,110).

* Most scholars associate ''oior'' "man" with Avestan ''vīra-'' "man, hero", Sanskrit ''vīra-'', Latin ''vir'' (gen. ''virī'') "man, hero, husband",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://latindictionary.wikidot.com/noun:vir|title = Vir – the Latin Dictionary}}</ref> PIE {{PIE|*''wiHrós''}}. Various explanations account for ''pata'' "kill":
*# Persian ''pat-'' "(to) kill", ''patxuste'' "killed";<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gharib|first1=B.|title=Sogdian Dictionary, Sogdian-Persian-English|date=1995|publisher=Farhangan Publications|location=Tehran, Iran|isbn=964-5558-06-9|page=376}}</ref>
*# Sogdian ''pt-'' "(to) kill", ''ptgawsty'' "killed";<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gharib|first1=B.|title=Sogdian Dictionary, Sogdian-Persian-English|date=1995|publisher=Farhangan Publications|location=Tehran, Iran|isbn=964-5558-06-9|page=376}}</ref>
*# Ossetian ''fædyn'' "cleave", Sanskrit ''pātayati'' "fell", PIE {{PIE|*''peth₂''-}} "fall".<ref>
[[Ladislav Zgusta|L. Zgusta]], "Skythisch {{lang|grc|οἰόρπατα «ἀνδροκτόνοι»}}", ''Annali dell’Istituto Universario Orientale di Napoli'' 1 (1959) pp. 151–156.
</ref>
*# Avestan ''paiti-'' "lord", Sanskrit ''páti'', PIE {{PIE|*''pótis''}}, cf. Lat. ''potestate'' (i.e. "man-ruler");<ref>
Vasmer, ''Die Iranier in Südrußland'', 1923, 15.
</ref>
*# Ossetian ''maryn'' "kill", Pashto ''mrəl'', Sanskrit ''mārayati'', PIE {{PIE|*''mer''-}} "die" (confusion of Greek [[Mu (letter)|Μ]] and [[Pi (letter)|Π]]);<ref>
[[Vasily Abaev|V.I. Abaev]], ''Osetinskij jazyk i fol’klor'', Moscow / Leningrad 1949, vol. 1, 172, 176, 188.
</ref>
* Alternatively, one scholar suggests Iranic ''aiwa-'' "one" + ''warah-'' "breast",<ref>{{harvnb|Hinge|2005|pp=94–98}}</ref> the Amazons believed to have removed a breast to aid drawing a bow, according to some ancient folklorists, and as reflected in Greek [[folk-etymology]]: ''[[privative a|a-]]'' (privative) + ''mazos'', "without [[breast]]".

Elsewhere Herodotus explains the name of the mythical one-eyed tribe [[Arimaspi|Arimaspoi]] as a compound of the Scythian words ''arima'', meaning "one", and ''spu'', meaning "eye" (''Hist''. 4,27).

* Some scholars connect ''arima'' "one" with Ossetian ''ærmæst'' "only", Avestic ''airime'' "quiet", Greek ''erēmos'' "empty", PIE {{PIE|*''h₁(e)rh₁mo''-}}?, and ''spu'' "eye" with Avestic ''spas-'' "foretell", Sanskrit ''spaś-'', PIE {{PIE|*''speḱ''-}} "see".<ref>
[[Josef Markwart|J. Marquart]]<!--name spelling changed in 1922-->, ''Untersuchungen zur Geschichte von Eran'', Göttingen 1905, 90–92;
Vasmer, ''Die Iranier in Südrußland'', 1923, 12;
[[H.H. Schaeder]], ''Iranica. I: Das Auge des Königs'', Berlin 1934, 16–19.
</ref>
* However, Iranic usually expresses "one" and "eye" with words like ''aiwa-'' and ''čašman-'' (Ossetian ''īw'' and ''cæst'').
* Other scholars reject Herodotus' etymology and derive the ethnonym [[Arimaspi|Arimaspoi]] from Iranic ''aspa-'' "horse" instead.<ref>
W. Tomaschek, "Kritik der ältesten Nachrichten über den skythischen Norden", ''Sitzungsberichte der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften'' 116 (1888), 715–780, here: 761; [[Karl Müllenhoff|K. Müllenhoff]], ''Deutsche Altertumskunde'', Berlin 1893, vol. 3, 305–306;
[[René Grousset|R. Grousset]], ''L’empire des steppes'', Paris 1941, 37 n. 3;
I. Lebedensky, ''Les Scythes. La civilisation des steppes (VII<sup>e</sup>-III<sup>e</sup> siècles av. J.-C.)'', Paris 2001, 93.
</ref>
* Or the first part of the name may reflect something like Iranic ''raiwant-'' "rich", cf. Ossetian ''riwæ'' "rich".<ref>{{harvnb|Hinge|2005|pp=89–94}}</ref>

=== Scythian theonyms ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Attested forms !! Notes 
|-
| [[Tabiti|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Tapatī́}}]] 
|| {{langx|grc|Ταβιτι|translit=Tabiti}} 
|| Means “the Burning One” or “the Flaming One.”<ref>{{cite book |last=West |first=Martin Litchfield |author-link=Martin Litchfield West |date=2007 |title=Indo-European Poetry and Myth |url= |location=[[Oxford]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page=267 |isbn=978-0-199-28075-9 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Lindsay |author-link= |date=2005 |title=Encyclopedia of Religion |volume=12 |url= |location= |publisher=[[Gale (publisher)|Macmillan Reference USA]] |pages=8205–8208 |isbn= }}</ref>
Related to:<ref>{{cite book |last=Cheung |first=Johnny |author-link= |date=2007 |title=Etymological Dictionary of the Iranian Verb |url= |location=[[Leiden]] |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |pages=378–379 |isbn=978-9-004-15496-4 }}</ref>{{sfn|Ustinova|1999|p=67-128}}{{sfn|Raevskiy|1993|page=[https://archive.org/details/ScythianMythology/page/n15/mode/2up 17]-[https://archive.org/details/ScythianMythology/page/n17/mode/2up 18]}}
:[[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬁𐬞𐬀𐬌𐬌𐬈𐬌𐬙𐬌‎}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|tāpaiieⁱti}}), “to warm.”
:[[Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|तापयति}} ({{Transliteration|sa|tapayati}}), “to heat” and “to warm”; theonym {{lang|sa|तपती}} ({{Transliteration|sa|Tapatī|italics=no}}); {{lang|sa|तपस्}} ({{Transliteration|sa|tápas}})
:[[Latin]] {{lang|la|tepeo}}.
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Api}} 
|| {{langx|grc|Απι|translit=Api}}
:::: and {{lang|grc|Απια}}, <small>[[Romanization of Greek|romanized]]:</small> {{Transliteration|grc|Apia}}
|| Related to [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬀𐬞𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|api}}), "water."{{sfn|Ustinova|1999|p=67-128}}
|-
| [[Targitaos|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Targī̆tavah}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Ταργιταος|translit=Targitaos}}
|| Means "possessing the might of the goddess [[Scythian religion#Tarkā|Tarkā]]." Composed of:{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2013}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*Targiya}}, "of the goddess {{Transliteration|xsc|Tarkā}}."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
|
|| {{langx|grc|Αρτιμπασα|translit=Artimpasa}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Ustinova|1999|p=67-128}}
:Iranic theonym [[Ashi|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Arti}}]]
:a term related to {{Transliteration|xsc|*paya}}, "pasture" and {{Transliteration|xsc|*pati}}, "lord."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Apatura}}
|| {{langx|grc|Απατουρος|translit=Apatouros}}
|| Means "swift water." Composed of:{{sfn|Ustinova|1999|p=29-66}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*ap-}}, "water." Related to [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬀𐬞}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|ap-}}), "water."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*tura-}}, "quick" or "mighty."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Gaiϑāsūra}}
|| {{langx|grc|Γοιτοσυρος|translit=Goitosuros}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*gaiϑā}}, "herd" and "possessions." Cognate of {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬔𐬀𐬊𐬌𐬌𐬀𐬊𐬌𐬙𐬌𐬱}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|gaoiiaoⁱtiš}}), "cow pasture."<ref>{{cite book |last=Herzfeld |first=Ernst |author-link=Ernst Herzfeld |date=1947 |title=Zoroaster and His World |volume=2 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.56772 |location= |publisher=Princeton University Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.56772/page/n117/mode/2up 516] |isbn=}}</ref>
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*sūra}}, "strong" and "mighty."
|-
| 
|| {{langx|grc|Θαγιμασαδας|translit=Thagimasadas}}
:::: and {{lang|grc|Θαμιμασαδας}}, <small>[[Romanization of Greek|romanized]]:</small> {{Transliteration|grc|Thamimasadas}}
|| Composed of:
:a possible cognate of [[Avestan language|Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬚𐬡𐬁𐬴𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|ϑβāṣ̌a}}), "firmament," and [[Vedic Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|त्वक्ष्}} ({{Transliteration|sa|tvakṣ-}}) or {{lang|sa|तक्ष्}} ({{Transliteration|sa|takṣ-}}), "to create by putting into motion."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|mazatā}}, meaning "great."{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
|-
| {{transliteration|xsc|*Lipoxšaya}}
|| {{langx|grc|Λιποξαις|translit=Lipoxais}}
|| From an earlier form {{transliteration|xsc|*Δipoxšaya}} after the evolution of Proto-Iranic /d/ to Proto-Scythian /δ/ to Scythian /l/.<br/>
Means "king of radiance" and "king of heaven." Composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=29-31}}
:{{Transliteration|ira|*lipa}}, from earlier {{Transliteration|xsc|*δipa}}, "to be bright" as well as "sky" and "heaven."
:{{transliteration|xsc|*-xšaya}}, "ruler."
|-
| {{transliteration|xsc|*R̥buxšaya}}
|| {{langx|grc|Ἀρποξαις|translit=Arpoxais}}
|| Means "king of the airspace." Composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=31-32}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*r̥bu-}}, a cognate of [[Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|ऋभु}} ({{Transliteration|sa|Ṛbhú}}), the name of a group of deities of the airspace.
:{{transliteration|xsc|*-xšaya}}, "ruler."
|-
| {{transliteration|xsc|*Kolaxšaya}}
|| {{langx|grc|Κολαξαις|translit=Kolaxais}}<br/>
{{langx|la|Colaxes}}
|| From an earlier form {{transliteration|xsc|*Koδaxšaya}} after the evolution of Proto-Iranic /d/ to Proto-Scythian /δ/ to Scythian /l/.<br/> Means "axe-wielding king," where the axe also has the meaning of "sceptre," as well as "blacksmith king," in the sense of "ruling king of the lower world." Composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=48-52}}
:{{transliteration|xsc|*kola}}, from earlier {{Transliteration|xsc|*koδa}}, "axe."
:{{transliteration|xsc|*-xšaya}}, "ruler."
|}

=== Pliny the Elder ===
[[Pliny the Elder]]'s ''Natural History'' (AD 77–79) derives the name of the [[Caucasus]] from the Scythian ''kroy-khasis'' = ice-shining, white with snow (cf. Greek ''cryos'' = ice-cold).

===Aristophanes===

In the comedy works of [[Aristophanes]], the dialects of various Greek people are accurately imitated. In his ''[[Thesmophoriazusae]]'', a [[Scythian archer]] (a member of a police force in Athens) speaks broken Greek, consistently omitting the final ''-s'' ({{lang|grc|-ς}}) and ''-n'' ({{lang|grc|ν}}), using the [[Fortis and lenis|lenis]] in place of the [[Aspirated consonant|aspirate]], and once using ''ks'' ({{lang|grc|ξ}}) in place of ''s'' ([[sigma]]); these may be used to elucidate the Scythian languages.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Donaldson |first1=John William |author-link1=John William Donaldson |title=Varronianus: A Critical and Historical Introduction to the Philological Study of the Latin Language |url=https://archive.org/details/varronianusacri00donagoog |date=1844 |publisher=J. and J. J. Deighton |page=[https://archive.org/details/varronianusacri00donagoog/page/n54 32] |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Getae]]
* [[Dacian language]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |editor-last1=del Olmo Lete |editor-first1=Gregorio |editor-last2=Feliu |editor-first2=Lluís |editor-last3=Millet Albà |editor-first3=Adelina |last=Alemany |first=Agustí |date=2006 |title=Sapal tibnim mû illakû: Studies Presented to Joaquín Sanmartín on the Occasion of his 64th Birthday |chapter=Onomastica Elamo-Scythica |language=es |chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/49865069 |location=[[Barcelona]], [[Spain]] |publisher=Editorial AUSA |pages=29–34 |isbn=978-8-488-81071-7 }}
* {{cite journal |last=Bukharin |first=Mikhail Dmitrievich |author-link=:ru:Бухарин, Михаил Дмитриевич |date=2011 |title=Колаксай и его братья (античная традиция о происхождении царской власти у скифов |trans-title=Kolaxais and his Brothers (Classical Tradition on the Origin of the Royal Power of the Scythians) |language=ru |url=https://www.academia.edu/6542379 |journal=Аристей: вестник классической филологии и античной истории |volume=3 |issue= |pages=20–80 |doi= |access-date=2022-07-13 }}
* {{cite journal |last=Bukharin |first=Mikhail |author-link=:ru:Бухарин, Михаил Дмитриевич |date=2013 |script-title=ru:К дискуссии о языке скифов: переход др.ир. *xš- > *s- и его отражение в древнегреческом |trans-title=Towards the Discussion on the Language of the Scythians: The Transition of OIr *xš- > *s- and its Reflection in the Ancient Greek |url=https://www.academia.edu/6560686 |script-journal=ru:Проблемы Истории, Филологии, Культуры |trans-work=Problems of History, Philology, Culture |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=263–285 |doi= |access-date=30 April 2023}}
* {{Cite journal| journal=Acta Universitatis de Attila József Nominatae: Acta antiqua et archaeologica|volume =13 |last=Harmatta|first= J.|author-link=János Harmatta|title=Studies in the History and Language of the Sarmatians|place= Szeged, Hungary| publisher = [[University of Szeged]]| date=1970}}
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* {{cite book |editor-last1=Kolganova |editor-first1=G. Y. |editor-last2=Kullanda |editor-first2=S. V. |editor-link2=:ru:Кулланда, Сергей Всеволодович |editor-last3=Nemirovsky |editor-first3=A. A. |editor-link3=:ru:Немировский, Александр Аркадьевич |editor-last4=Petrova |editor-first4=A. A. |editor-last5=Safronov |editor-first5=A. V. |last=Kullanda |first=S. V. |author-link=:ru:Кулланда, Сергей Всеволодович |date=2013 |title=Иранский Мир II – I тыс. до н.э. Материалы международной научной конференции, посвященной памяти Эдвина Арвидовича Грантовского и Дмитрия Сергеевича Раевского. Выпуск VI |trans-title=Iranian World 2nd – 1st millennium BC. Proceedings of the International Scientific conference Dedicated to the Memory of Edwin Arvidovich Grantovsky and Dmitry Sergeevich Raevsky. Issue VI |chapter=Скифские этимологии |trans-chapter=Scythian Etymologies |url=https://www.academia.edu/5461605 |location=[[Moscow]], [[Russia]] |publisher=[[Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences]] |pages=38–48 |isbn=978-5-892-82576-4 }}
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* [[Ladislav Zgusta|Zgusta, L.]]: ''Die griechischen Personennamen griechischer Städte der nördlichen Schwarzmeerküste. Die ethnischen Verhältnisse, namentlich das Verhältnis der Skythen und Sarmaten, im Lichte der Namenforschung'', Prague 1955.
{{refend}}

{{Iranian languages}}
{{Scythia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scythian Languages}}
[[Category:Eastern Iranian languages]]
[[Category:Extinct languages of Asia]]
[[Category:Extinct languages of Europe]]
[[Category:Languages attested from the 1st millennium BC]]
[[Category:Scythians]]
[[Category:Sarmatians]]
[[Category:History of Ural]]