Qatabānian (or Qatabānic), one of the four better-documented languages of the Old South Arabian (or "Ṣayhadic") sub-group of South Semitic, was spoken mainly but not exclusively in the kingdom of Qatabān, located in central Yemen. The language is attested between 500 BC and 200 AD. Some two thousand inscriptions are known and written in the Ancient South Arabian Monumental Script, known as Musnad. These inscriptions are mainly found in Wādī Bayhān and Wādī Ḥārib to the south-east of Ma'rib, and from the plateau to the south of that area. Qatabanian inscriptions increase after the beginning of the 4th century BC when the Sabaeans ceased to dominate the area, and Qatabān became an independent kingdom.
Qatabanian was spoken in an area across the kingdom of Qatabān as far as Jabal al-'Awd (near Zafar) in the southwest, and if we are to believe the Greek and Latin writers, it went as far as Bāb al-Mandab on the Red Sea. At the end of the 2nd century AD, Saba' and Ḥaḑramawt finally defeated Qatabān, and the inscriptions ended.[1]
The language used to write inscriptions in the kingdom of Awsān, known as Awsānian (or Awsānite) is virtually identical to Qatabānic, but it is so badly attested (25 inscriptions), that it remains uncertain whether it is a Qatabānic dialect or a distinct language.
Numeralsedit
Qatabanic inscription from Wadi Bayhan
Qatabānian has an unusual form for the cardinal number "one" - ṭd / fem. ṭt ; this has no known cognates in any of the ancient Semitic languages, although it does appear in modern South Arabian languages (cf. Jibbālīṭad, fem. ṭit). Qatabānian also has another word for "one", ˤs1tn, which is cognate with the Minaeanˤs1t[2] (and with forms in Akkadian, Ugaritic and Hebrew).[3] The Qatabānian forms for "three" and "six" are the same as the Old Sabaean words: s2lṯ (fem. s2lṯt) and s1dṯ (fem. s1dṯt).
Qatabānian expresses distributives by repeating the number, thus: b-ˤs2r ˤs2r ḫbṣtm mṣˤm l-ṭt ṭt ywmm "ten full Ḫabṣat coins each for each day".[2]
Referencesedit
^Kogan, Leonid; Korotayev, Andrey (1997). "Ṣayhadic Languages (Epigraphic South Arabian". Semitic Languages. London: Routledge. pp. 157–183.
Avanzini, Alessandra (2004). Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions I-III. Qatabanic, Marginal Qatabanic, Awsanite Inscriptions (Arabia Antica 2) (Edited ed.). Pisa: PLUS. ISBN88-8492-263-1.
Nebes, Norbert; Stein, Peter (2004). "Ancient South Arabian". In Woodard, Roger D. (ed.). The Cambridge encyclopedia of the World's ancient languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-56256-2.
Nebes, Norbert; Stein, Peter (2008). "Ancient South Arabian". In Woodard, Roger D. (ed.). The Ancient Languages of Syria-Palestine and Arabia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 145–178. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511486890. ISBN9780511486890.
Ricks, Stephen D. (1988). Lexicon of Inscriptional Qatabanian. Rome: Pontificio Instituto Biblico. ISBN978-8876535703.
Stein, Peter (2011). "Ancient South Arabian". In Weninger, Stefan (ed.). The Semitic Languages: An International Handbook. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 1042–1073. ISBN3110186136.
December 20, 2023
qatabanian, language, qatabānian, qatabānic, four, better, documented, languages, south, arabian, Ṣayhadic, group, south, semitic, spoken, mainly, exclusively, kingdom, qatabān, located, central, yemen, language, attested, between, some, thousand, inscriptions. Qatabanian or Qatabanic one of the four better documented languages of the Old South Arabian or Ṣayhadic sub group of South Semitic was spoken mainly but not exclusively in the kingdom of Qataban located in central Yemen The language is attested between 500 BC and 200 AD Some two thousand inscriptions are known and written in the Ancient South Arabian Monumental Script known as Musnad These inscriptions are mainly found in Wadi Bayhan and Wadi Ḥarib to the south east of Ma rib and from the plateau to the south of that area Qatabanian inscriptions increase after the beginning of the 4th century BC when the Sabaeans ceased to dominate the area and Qataban became an independent kingdom QatabanianNative toYemenEra800 BC 200 ADLanguage familyAfro Asiatic SemiticSouthOld South ArabianQatabanianWriting systemAncient South ArabianLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code xqt class extiw title iso639 3 xqt xqt a Linguist ListxqtGlottologqata1238Qatabanian was spoken in an area across the kingdom of Qataban as far as Jabal al Awd near Zafar in the southwest and if we are to believe the Greek and Latin writers it went as far as Bab al Mandab on the Red Sea At the end of the 2nd century AD Saba and Ḥaḑramawt finally defeated Qataban and the inscriptions ended 1 The language used to write inscriptions in the kingdom of Awsan known as Awsanian or Awsanite is virtually identical to Qatabanic but it is so badly attested 25 inscriptions that it remains uncertain whether it is a Qatabanic dialect or a distinct language Numerals edit nbsp Qatabanic inscription from Wadi BayhanQatabanian has an unusual form for the cardinal number one ṭd fem ṭt this has no known cognates in any of the ancient Semitic languages although it does appear in modern South Arabian languages cf Jibbali ṭad fem ṭit Qatabanian also has another word for one ˤs1tn which is cognate with the Minaean ˤs1t 2 and with forms in Akkadian Ugaritic and Hebrew 3 The Qatabanian forms for three and six are the same as the Old Sabaean words s2lṯ fem s2lṯt and s1dṯ fem s1dṯt Qatabanian expresses distributives by repeating the number thus b ˤs2r ˤs2r ḫbṣtm mṣˤm l ṭt ṭt ywmm ten full Ḫabṣat coins each for each day 2 References edit Kogan Leonid Korotayev Andrey 1997 Ṣayhadic Languages Epigraphic South Arabian Semitic Languages London Routledge pp 157 183 a b Nebes amp Stein 2004 p 472 Mazzini Giovanni 2011 Some Qatabanian Lexical Items Aula Orientalis 29 121 129 Bibliography editAvanzini Alessandra 2004 Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions I III Qatabanic Marginal Qatabanic Awsanite Inscriptions Arabia Antica 2 Edited ed Pisa PLUS ISBN 88 8492 263 1 Nebes Norbert Stein Peter 2004 Ancient South Arabian In Woodard Roger D ed The Cambridge encyclopedia of the World s ancient languages Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 56256 2 Nebes Norbert Stein Peter 2008 Ancient South Arabian In Woodard Roger D ed The Ancient Languages of Syria Palestine and Arabia Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 145 178 doi 10 1017 CBO9780511486890 ISBN 9780511486890 Ricks Stephen D 1988 Lexicon of Inscriptional Qatabanian Rome Pontificio Instituto Biblico ISBN 978 8876535703 Stein Peter 2011 Ancient South Arabian In Weninger Stefan ed The Semitic Languages An International Handbook Berlin De Gruyter Mouton pp 1042 1073 ISBN 3110186136 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Qatabanian language amp oldid 1169963629, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
