Problem:IOL/2019/i3/en(A)

IOL 2019 Problem #3 Book Pahlavi script

Here are some words in Middle Persian written in the Book Pahlavi script:

Scholars employ two systems of rendering Middle Persian words using Roman characters. The system that reflects the Pahlavi spelling is called scientific transliteration. In turn, the system that represents the tentative pronunciation of the words is called transcription.

Some words could be spelt in multiple ways in the Pahlavi script. For example, the word dīdan ‘to see’ could be alternatively spelt as (scientific transliteration: HẔYTWN-tn') or as (scientific transliteration: dytn').

(a) Match each word above with its scientific transliteration and transcription. Note that the words written in the Pahlavi script may correspond to multiple Middle Persian words.

1. ɔslwn' āsrōn priest 2. sydɔ syā black 3. DMYA xōn blood 4. AHTE xwah sister 5. blbwt' barbut lyre 6. gyɔh giyāh grass 7. ALBA čahār four 8. dwt' dūd smoke 9. mwd mōy hair 10. gdk' gēg thief 11. hmyšk' hamēšag always 12. LK tō thou 13. gwklt' gōgird sulfur 14. wɔcɔl wāzār market 15. MLKTA bāmbišn queen 16. HZWLYA hūg pig 17. zwzk' zūzag hedgehog

18. whɔl wahār spring (season) 19. APLA xāk earth, dust 20. gwn' gōn color 21. LCDr' tar over, through, across 22. mng mang henbane (type of plant) 23. lwlk' rūrag medicinal plant, herb 24. ẔWẔN' drahm drachm (unit of weight) 25. dlmnk' dramanag wormwood (type of plant) 26. NKSWN-tn' kuštan to kill 27. ɔwzmbwlt' uzumburd emerald 28. glmwk' garmōg warm, hot 29. ɔhlmn' Ahreman the evil spirit 30. ɔylɔnštr' Ērān-šahr land of the Aryans 31. ywdtɔk' ǰudāg separate, different 32. dhšk' daxšag mark, sign; memory 33. nhɔl nihāl sapling, young tree 34. lwcynk' lawzēnag almond sweetmeat

(b) In Book Pahlavi, one Middle Persian word is usually written with a certain graphic peculiarity. Identify this word.

(c) The following words are alternative spellings of some of the words above.

Identify them and provide their scientific translations.

(d) Write in Book Pahlavi script:

KK.	DKRA	muɣ	date-palm
LL.	dlwnd	druwand	evil, sinful, unrighteous
MM.	stwl	stōr	horse
NN.	cmbl	čambar	circle, hoop

(!) No additional explanation besides the answers is required, nor will be marked.

⚠ Middle Persian belongs to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European family. It was spoken in the Sasanian Empire and survived through centuries as a written language, especially in translations of the Zoroastrian canon. The transcription used here corresponds to the reconstructed pronunciation of the 3^rd century CE. The mark ˉ indicates that the vowel is long. č = ch in church; h = h in hat; ǰ = j in judge; š = sh in sheesh; w = w in win; x ≈ ch in Scottish loch; ɣ like x but voiced; y = y in yum; z = z in zigzag. Knowledge of Modern Iranian languages is irrelevant for solving this problem.

—André Nikulin (consultant: Miguel Ángel Andrés Toledo)