Hittite edit

𒆳𒊭𒀸
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Alternative forms edit

  • 𒄥𒊭𒀸 (gur-sa-as)
  • [script needed] (kursanwn), [script needed] (gursanwn) (“Kaneshite”)

Etymology edit

An Asianic cultural word, also appearing in Akkadian 𒆳𒍣𒉡𒌝 (kursinnu, gusānu, skinbag), Ugaritic 𐎋𐎗𐎒𐎜 (krsủ, a container, measure of capacity), 𐎋𐎗𐎒𐎐 (krsn, wineskin), 𐎖𐎗𐎒𐎜 (qrsủ, fleece, skin, wineskin) (compare also Proto-Semitic *kariś- (stomach, stomach-pouch, paunch, omentum or intestine bag)), and the borrowed Late Egyptian krs (sack). See also Old Armenian կաշի (kaši, hide).

Has been connected with Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa, (skin)bag, wineskin) and Czech, Slovene, Serbo-Croatian krzno (from Proto-Slavic *kъrzьno),[1] originally assumed to be cognate reflexes of Proto-Indo-European *gʷurso-, but that theory is not accepted today and is held untenable (the proper Greek reflex would be *γύρσα (*gúrsa), and the proper Proto-Slavic reflex *gъrs- or *gъrzьno). Nevertheless, the word eventually spread to Greek, and from there to the West (Latin bursaFrench bourseEnglish purse and dis-burse).

A number of other theories have been proposed for a Proto-Indo-European origin of this word, but all of them are held untenable today.

The talismanic usage likely underlies the primary meaning of the “(sheep)skin”, and ties well in with Asianic and Pontic “Golden Fleece” myths.

Noun edit

𒆳𒊭𒀸 (kur-sa-asc (nominative singular)

  1. skin, hide, fleece
  2. skin-bag
  3. also divinized as a fetish or talisman

Usage notes edit

Often used with determinative 𒋢 (KUŠ, leather), rarely with 𒄑 (GIŠ, wood).

Inflection edit

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IPA=kɔ́rʃ
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References edit

  • Puhvel, Jaan (1997) “kursa-, kursi-”, in Hittite Etymological Dictionary (Trends in linguistics. Documentation; 14), volume IV, Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, pages 270–275
  • Notes:
  1. ^ Etymologický slovník jazyka českého, ČSAV, 1968, str. 298: odvozeno od nezachovaného slova, které bylo příbuzno s het. kurša