zanë

See also: zane, Zane, zâne, zañe, zãne, and źaňë́-

Albanian

Alternative forms
  • zërë (Tosk)

Etymology

Identical to and derived from zë (“voice”), with a sense development motivated by the main characteristic of these mythological figures.[1] The term might have been contaminated with Latin Diāna (compare Romanian zână, Aromanian dzãnã, Asturian xana, Sardinian giàna). Another hypothesis, given her characteristics of muse of heroes and warrior, is the relationship with Ἀθηνᾶ (Athēnâ) (Mycenean a-ta-na) which, according to Beekes, has a Pre-Greek origin.

Noun

zanë f (plural zana, definite zana, definite plural zanat)

  1. mountain fairy, woodnymph
  2. muse of heroes

References
  1. The Journal of Indo-European Studies‎, University of Virginia, 1996, pages 345-346
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