Not-only-Odysseus-name-is-of-Turkic-origin-but-also-his-dogs-name

 

Pic: wikipedia

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There are many Argos in Greek mythology. The two most important ones for our topic are the dog Argos and toponym Argos.

Let me begin with the toponym Argos(Peloponnese)!

According to wikipedia:

"Both the personal name and placename (Argos/Άργος - UA) are linked to the word argós (αργός), which meant "white" or "shining"; possibly, this had to do with the visual impression given of the Argolic plain during harvest time. According to Strabo, the name could have even originated from the word agrós (αγρός) 'field' by metathesis of the consonants."

The second full sentece is of my interest. Strabon supposed that the name Argos could be a metathesis of the word Agros (meaning field). It is a better proposal for this toponym. White or shining (as the first sentece supposes is very far-fetched > White fields? Shining fields? Since when are we using these adjectives widely for a field?). He explained the name better than the scholars today. And maybe he knew a similar word for that from an adjacent language. We will get back to this issue.

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Wiktionary says about its etymology:

Usually said to be related to ἀργός (argós, “bright, shining”).

"According to Gamkrelidze's hypothesis, ultimately from Proto-Georgian-Zan *egr- (“~ western Georgia”)(cf. Mingrelian მ-არგ-ალი (m-arg-ali, “Mingrelian”), from Proto-Georgian-Zan *m-egr-el-i), a toponym allegedly picked up by the linguistic ancestors of Greeks during their theoretical migration from near the Caucasus, along with Ἀργοναύτης (Argonaútēs) and Ἀργολίς (Argolís).Few other scholars support the proto-Greeks' migration through the Caucasus and Asia Minor, however."

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And now I coming to the dog of Odysseus whose name was Argos. This dog was a a hunting dog. It is sure. 

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Let us see what wikipedia says:

"The name "Argos" (Ancient Greek: Ἄργος) is derived from the Ancient Greek adjective  ἀργός (argós), meaning literally 'shining white, brilliant', with a secondary metaphorical meaning of 'quick, agile'; this semantic change is found elsewhere in the Indo-European languages. In Homeric Greek, this appellation was commonly applied to quick dogs.^[2] The movement of the Ancient Greek accent from the final syllable to the preceding one is typical of proper nouns. Robert S. P. Beekes translates his name literally as 'the nimble one'.^[1]

The name is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *h₂rǵ-ró-s – a zero-grade derivative of *h₂erǵ- 'white, glittering' – with the second *r being dropped through dissimilation. The name is cognate with Latin argentum 'silver' and Hittite 𒄯𒆠𒅖(ḫar-ki-iš) 'white, bright', among others.It is etymologically related to the Argo (Ἀργώ), the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in the story of the Golden Fleece; the ship's name also refers to its swiftness. Argos is also the name of the hundred-eyed watchman in other Greek myths, Argos Panoptes (Ἄργος Πανόπτης; 'Argos the All-Seer'); one mythological tradition purports that Argos Panoptes was himself originally a watchdog."

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Wiktionary says:

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 27 February 2020

Etymology 1

From an earlier ἀργρός (argrós), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂rǵ-ró-s, from *h₂erǵ- (“white”).^[1]Cognates include Ancient Greek ἄργυρος (árguros, “silver”), Latin arguō (“to make clear”), Sanskritअर्जुन (árjuna, “white, clear”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₂r̥ǵn̥tóm (“silver”), whence Latin argentum, Old Irish argat, Welsh arian, रजत (rajatá), Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀 (ər^əzata), Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐎭𐎫 (ardata) and Old Armenian արծաթ (arcatʻ), and possibly Proto-Brythonic *ėrɣ (“snow”).

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It is a little bit confusing, isn't it? Too many texts to read and some are very far-fetched. Is the hound a swift one or a shining one? It is boring to say, it looks shiny when something is quick or a field looks white (shiny). I don't know.

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The fact:

Same name for two "things"; one is a living thing and the other is a field, city. 

Hmmm...now my part!

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As I have heard of this name I immediately thought of the Magyar Agár, a Hungarian gazehound. Its name is Türkic, derived from Chuvash: agar jɨtti (Source: Starostin/Dybo's Turkic database). It means a hunting dog from Proto-Türkic *eker, meaning also hunting dog. Strabo said about the name of the city of Argos that it is a metathesis of Agros, meaning field. I think that's more the case for this dog's name.  

That is shortly: 

Türkic Agar > Agar-os (Greek suffix) > Metathesis Agros > Argos

I have already shown that the name of Odysseus himself could have a Türkic origin:

https://uzunbacakadem.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-name-odysseus-and-its-etymology.html

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And now I am coming back to the fields of Peloponnese called Argos.

There is a very old Türkic word arık 

meaning river/ditch and an other arı- meaning to clean. 

Both could be compatible with the proposals above.

And there was something with "shiny" above, the Türkic verb yaru- means to shine

and yaruq means light.

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That all means: 

The metathesis Agros to Argos (mentions above by Strabo) 

applies to the name of the dog. 

Toponym Argos didn't change! 

Argos from arık meaning ditch, water canal.

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Yes sorry, I have written this blog very fully and 

maybe complicated but the names above 

are very interesting and their origins, too.

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Uzunbacak Adem

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1. Link to Argos:
2.  Athanasios Vercetis; Stavroula Petraki (2010). "Σεπτεμβρίου ΑΡΓΟΛΙΚΗ ΑΡΧΕΙΑΚΗ ΒΙΒΛΙΟΘΗΚΗ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ" [Argolic Archival Library of History and Culture, September]. argolikivivliothiki.gr (in Greek). Argolic Archival Library of History and Culture. Archived from the originalon 5 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
3. https://argolikivivliothiki.gr/2010/09/27/
4.