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Total Categories: 6
The Median language is classified as belonging to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.
Answer: False
The Median language is classified as belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family, specifically within the Northwestern Iranian subgroup, not the Germanic branch.
The Median language belongs to the Northwestern branch of the Iranian language family.
Answer: True
The Median language belongs to the Northwestern branch of the Iranian language family.
The Median language is classified under the Indo-European -> Indo-Iranian -> Western Iranian -> Northwestern Iranian -> Median hierarchy.
Answer: True
The Median language is classified within the hierarchy: Indo-European -> Indo-Iranian -> Iranian -> Western Iranian -> Northwestern Iranian -> Median.
What is the primary linguistic classification of the Median language?
Answer: An extinct language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European family.
The Median language is classified as an extinct language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family.
Which branch of the Iranian language family does Median belong to?
Answer: Northwestern Iranian
Median belongs to the Northwestern branch of the Iranian language family.
The Median language is classified within which major linguistic group?
Answer: Iranian
The Median language is classified within the Iranian language group, which is part of the larger Indo-European family.
Median is primarily attested in historical records through a large number of original grammatical texts and extensive vocabulary lists.
Answer: False
The attestation of the Median language in historical records is primarily derived from loanwords found within Old Persian texts, rather than from extensive original grammatical texts or vocabulary lists.
The specific grammar of the Median language is well-documented and understood by modern linguists.
Answer: False
The specific grammatical structure of the Median language is not well-documented and remains largely unknown to modern linguists.
Several original documents written in the Median language from its historical period have been preserved.
Answer: False
No original documents written in the Median language from its historical period have been preserved.
The only inscription found in Media from the Neo-Assyrian Empire period contains numerous Median names.
Answer: False
The sole inscription found in Media from the Neo-Assyrian Empire period is written in Akkadian and does not contain Median names.
The native name for the Median language is known and documented in ancient texts.
Answer: False
The native name for the Median language is not known and is not documented in ancient texts.
The cuneiform inscription found in Media from the Neo-Assyrian period was written in the Median language.
Answer: False
The cuneiform inscription found in Media from the Neo-Assyrian period was written in Akkadian, not the Median language.
The Median language is tentatively associated with the Linear Elamite writing system.
Answer: True
The Median language is tentatively associated with the Linear Elamite writing system, though this association is uncertain.
How is the Median language primarily attested in historical and linguistic records?
Answer: Via numerous loanwords found within Old Persian texts.
The Median language is primarily attested through numerous loanwords found within Old Persian texts, rather than through extensive original grammatical texts.
What is known about the specific grammatical structure of the Median language?
Answer: Nothing is known about its specific grammar according to available information.
According to the available information, the specific grammar of the Median language is not well-documented and remains largely unknown.
What is the status of original documents written in the Median language from its historical period?
Answer: No documents dating specifically to the Median era have been preserved.
No original documents written in the Median language from its historical period have been preserved.
What is the primary reason direct documentation of Median grammar and vocabulary is scarce?
Answer: The language is primarily attested through loanwords in other languages like Old Persian.
Direct documentation of Median grammar and vocabulary is scarce because the language is primarily attested through loanwords found in other languages, notably Old Persian.
Median shares significant phonological characteristics with Old Persian, distinguishing it from Avestan.
Answer: False
Median shares significant phonological isoglosses with Avestan, which distinguishes it from Old Persian.
The Median word *čiθra-* translates to 'evil-doer'.
Answer: False
The Median word *čiθra-* translates to 'origin', not 'evil-doer'.
The Median word *paridaiza* is the etymological root of the English word 'paradise'.
Answer: True
The Median word *paridaiza* is indeed the etymological root of the English word 'paradise'.
Herodotus identified *spaka* as the Median term for 'horse'.
Answer: False
Herodotus identified *spaka* as the Median term for 'dog' (specifically a female dog), not 'horse'.
The Median word *spaka-* is suggested as a possible source for the Russian word *sobaka*.
Answer: True
The Median word *spaka-* (meaning 'dog') is suggested as a possible etymological source for the Russian word *sobaka*.
The Median word *vazṛka-* means 'small', similar to the Western Persian word *bozorg*.
Answer: False
The Median word *vazṛka-* means 'great', not 'small', and is comparable in meaning to the Western Persian word *bozorg*.
The Median word *viśpa-* means 'few'.
Answer: False
The Median word *viśpa-* means 'all', not 'few'.
The Median word *čiθra-* means 'origin' and is related to terms for lineage and mithraic origin.
Answer: True
The Median word *čiθra-* means 'origin' and is related to terms such as *čiθrabṛzana-* ('exalting his linage') and *čiθramiθra-* ('having mithraic origin').
The Median word *farnah* represents 'divine glory', similar to the Avestan term *khvarenah*.
Answer: True
The Median word *farnah* represents 'divine glory', a concept also found in the Avestan term *khvarenah*.
The Middle Persian continuation of the Median word *xšaθra-* is *xšahr*, meaning 'king'.
Answer: False
The Middle Persian continuation of the Median word *xšaθra-* (meaning 'realm' or 'kingship') is *šahr*, meaning 'land, country, or city'.
The Median word *zūra-* means 'great'.
Answer: False
The Median word *zūra-* means 'evil', not 'great'.
The Median word *viśpa-* appears in terms like *viśpatarva-* meaning 'vanquishing all'.
Answer: True
The Median word *viśpa-* means 'all' and appears in terms such as *viśpatarva-* ('vanquishing all').
What phonological characteristic distinguishes Median from Old Persian?
Answer: Median shares important phonological isoglosses with Avestan.
Median shares important phonological isoglosses with Avestan, which distinguishes it from Old Persian.
The Median word *čiθra-* is significant because it means:
Answer: Origin
The Median word *čiθra-* means 'origin'.
Which English word has its etymological root in the Median word *paridaiza*?
Answer: Paradise
The English word 'paradise' originates from the Median word *paridaiza*.
According to Herodotus, what did the Median word *spaka* refer to?
Answer: A female dog
Herodotus identified *spaka* as the Median term for a female dog.
What is the meaning of the Median word *vazṛka-*?
Answer: Great
The Median word *vazṛka-* translates to 'great'.
The Median word *xšaθra-* is related to the Greek term *satrap*. What does *xšaθra-* mean?
Answer: Realm or kingship
The Median word *xšaθra-* means 'realm' or 'kingship'.
What does the Median word *zūra-* mean?
Answer: Evil
The Median word *zūra-* means 'evil'.
What is the significance of the Median word *spaka*?
Answer: It means 'dog' and is possibly related to the Russian word *sobaka*.
The Median word *spaka* means 'dog' and is suggested as a possible etymological source for the Russian word *sobaka*.
During the period of Median rule, the Median language served as the official Iranian language throughout western Iran.
Answer: False
It is posited that during the period of Median rule, the Median language served, to some extent, as an official Iranian language in western Iran, rather than exclusively throughout the entire region.
The Greek term *satrap* is believed to derive directly from the Old Persian form of the word for 'realm'.
Answer: False
The Greek term *satrap* is believed to derive from a Median form of the word for 'realm' or 'kingship' (*xšaθra-*), rather than directly from the Old Persian form.
The Assyrians referred to the Medes as *Parshumash* and the Persians as *Mada*.
Answer: False
The Assyrians referred to the Medes as *Mada* and the Persians as *Parshumash*.
Median is presumed to have functioned as a superstrate language influencing Old Persian in the Achaemenid Empire.
Answer: False
Median is presumed to have functioned as a substrate language, influencing Old Persian in the Achaemenid Empire, rather than a superstrate language.
Prods Oktor Skjærvø suggests Median elements in Old Persian texts are identifiable because they underwent the same specific linguistic developments as Old Persian.
Answer: False
Prods Oktor Skjærvø suggests that Median elements in Old Persian texts are identifiable precisely because they did *not* undergo the same specific linguistic developments as Old Persian.
Roland Kent identified *paridaiza* ('paradise') as a potential Median borrowing in Old Persian.
Answer: False
While Roland Kent identified potential Median borrowings, he specifically identified *taxma* ('brave') as such. Other scholars, such as Diakonoff, identified *paridaiza* ('paradise') as a potential Median contribution.
Strabo observed that the languages spoken in Ariana, Persia, Media, and northern Bactria were significantly different from each other.
Answer: False
Strabo observed that the languages spoken in Ariana, Persia, Media, and northern Bactria were nearly the same, not significantly different.
The Median language is native to the region known as Media, within historical Ancient Iran.
Answer: True
The Median language is native to the geographical region known as Media, situated within historical Ancient Iran.
The Median language is estimated to have been spoken between 500 BCE and 500 CE.
Answer: True
The Median language is estimated to have been spoken approximately between 500 BCE and 500 CE.
The term 'Medisms' refers to linguistic features in Old Persian that are believed to originate from the Median language.
Answer: True
The term 'Medisms' refers to linguistic features, such as vocabulary or phonetic traits, found in Old Persian that are believed to originate from or have been influenced by the Median language.
The distinction between Medes and Persians is primarily noted in native Assyrian records from the 9th century BCE.
Answer: False
The distinction between the Medes and Persians is primarily noted in foreign sources, such as Assyrian records from the 9th century BCE and the writings of Herodotus.
The *Ganj Nameh* inscriptions were commissioned by Median rulers to document their language.
Answer: False
The *Ganj Nameh* inscriptions were commissioned by Darius I and Xerxes I, and are not directly related to documenting the Median language.
What was the likely function of the Median language during the period of Median rule?
Answer: It served, to some extent, as the official Iranian language in western Iran.
During the period of Median rule, it is posited that the Median language served, to some extent, as an official Iranian language in western Iran.
How did the Assyrians refer to the Medes in their cuneiform texts?
Answer: *Mada*
The Assyrians referred to the Medes as *Mada* in their cuneiform texts.
What is the hypothesized linguistic role of Median within the Achaemenid Empire?
Answer: It functioned as a substrate language influencing Old Persian.
Median is hypothesized to have functioned as a substrate language, influencing Old Persian within the Achaemenid Empire.
According to Prods Oktor Skjærvø, how can Median linguistic elements be identified in Old Persian texts?
Answer: Did not undergo the specific linguistic developments of Old Persian.
Prods Oktor Skjærvø suggests that Median elements are identifiable in Old Persian texts because they did not undergo the same specific linguistic developments as Old Persian.
Which scholar identified *taxma* ('brave') as a potential Median borrowing in Old Persian?
Answer: Roland Kent
Roland Kent identified *taxma* ('brave') as a potential Median borrowing in Old Persian.
What did Strabo observe about the languages of peoples in Ariana, Persia, Media, and Bactria?
Answer: They spoke nearly the same language.
Strabo observed that the inhabitants of Ariana, Persia, Media, and northern Bactria and Sogdiana spoke 'nearly the same language'.
What does the term 'Medisms' refer to in the context of Old Persian texts?
Answer: Linguistic elements believed to be borrowed from Median into Old Persian.
The term 'Medisms' refers to linguistic features found in Old Persian that are believed to have originated from or been influenced by the Median language.
The 'fahlaviyat' compositions preserve traces of later Median dialects, which are distinct from ancient Median.
Answer: True
The 'fahlaviyat' compositions are significant as they preserve traces of later Median dialects, which are distinct from the ancient Median language.
The term 'fahla' originally referred to the Persian language and was later extended to include Media.
Answer: False
The term 'fahla', derived from Middle Persian *pahlaw*, originally referred to Parthia, and from late Arsacid times, it denoted Media, reflecting an earlier association with Parthia.
G. Windfuhr suggests that modern Iranian languages spoken in Media are unrelated to the ancient Median language.
Answer: False
G. Windfuhr suggests that modern Iranian languages spoken in the regions of ancient Media are essentially 'Median' dialects, continuing the ancient language and showing similarities to 'Medisms' found in Old Persian.
Languages considered survivals of Median dialects show no linguistic affinities with Parthian.
Answer: False
Languages considered survivals of Median dialects do exhibit certain linguistic affinities with Parthian, suggesting a close historical relationship between these language groups.
The most notable New Median languages and dialects are found primarily in eastern Iran.
Answer: False
The most notable New Median languages and dialects are found primarily in central Iran, particularly around the city of Kashan.
The 'fahlaviyat' compositions are significant because they:
Answer: Preserve traces of later Median dialects.
The 'fahlaviyat' compositions are significant as they preserve traces of later Median dialects, which are distinct from the ancient Median language.
How did the term 'fahla' become associated with Media?
Answer: From late Arsacid times, it denoted Media, reflecting an earlier association with Parthia.
The term 'fahla', derived from Middle Persian *pahlaw*, denoted Media from late Arsacid times, reflecting an earlier association with Parthia.
What is G. Windfuhr's theory regarding modern Iranian languages in ancient Media?
Answer: They are essentially 'Median' dialects continuing the ancient language.
G. Windfuhr suggests that modern Iranian languages spoken in the regions of ancient Media are essentially 'Median' dialects, continuing the ancient language.
Where are the most notable New Median languages and dialects primarily found?
Answer: Central Iran, around Kashan
The most notable New Median languages and dialects are found primarily in central Iran, particularly around the city of Kashan.
The ISO 639-3 code for Median is 'mdn'.
Answer: False
The ISO 639-3 code for Median is 'xme', not 'mdn'.
The Glottolog database specifically catalogs and classifies the Median language.
Answer: False
The Glottolog database does not specifically catalog or classify the Median language.
Alternative names for the Median language include Medean and Medic.
Answer: True
Alternative names for the Median language include Medean and Medic.
What is the ISO 639-3 code designated for the Median language?
Answer: xme
The ISO 639-3 code designated for the Median language is 'xme'.
Which of the following is NOT listed as an alternative name for the Median language?
Answer: Madan
Alternative names for the Median language include Medean and Medic. 'Medianic' is also sometimes used. 'Madan' is not listed as an alternative name.