Aryan

== English == === Alternative forms === Arian === Etymology === Apparently originally from Classical Latin Ariānus, from Ariāna, probably after German Arier, arisch and subsequently reinforced by related Sanskrit आर्य (ā́rya, “noble; noble one”) and +‎ -n. The Sanskrit word is from Proto-Indo-Iranian *áryas (the original Indo-Iranian autonym). Borrowed into English in the 19th century, at first as a term for the Indo-Iranian languages, and later partly extended to the Indo-European languages and peoples following a theory by Friedrich Schlegel that connected the Indo-Iranian words arya/ā́rya with German Ehre (“honor”) and some older Germanic names, thus assuming that it was the original Indo-European autonym meaning "the honorable people". The original meaning of the Indo-Iranian autonym and its possible Indo-European origin/cognates are disputed (see the Wikipedia article for further details). The same Proto-Indo-Iranian root is the ultimate source of the country name Iran. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, without the Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /ˈɛəɹi.ən/, /ˈɛəjən/, /ˈɑːɹi.ən/, /ˈɑːjən/ (General American, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /ˈɛɹi.ən/, /ˈɛɹjən/, /ˈɑɹi.ən/, /ˈɑɹjən/ Rhymes: -ɛəɹiən, -ɛə(ɹ)jən, -ɑːɹiən, -ɑː(ɹ)jən Homophones: Arian, Arean === Noun === Aryan (plural Aryans) (theosophy, Germanic mysticism, Nazism) A member of a race defined variously as comprising people of Germanic descent, in the narrowest sense, or all non-Jewish Caucasians, in the broadest sense 1925–26, Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, translation from German to English by James Murphy, 1939 This short sketch of the changes that take place among those races that are only the depositories of a culture also furnishes a picture of the development and the activity and the disappearance of those who are the true founders of culture on this earth, namely the Aryans themselves. (Nazism or white supremacy, informal) A person of Caucasian (white / Northern European) ethnicity; a white non-Jew. (chiefly US, informal, euphemistic) A Caucasian racist, often one who is an Aryan in the first sense. (dated) An Indo-European, a Proto-Indo-European. 1905, Rossiter Johnson, LL.D., chief editor, The Great Events by Famous Historians, volume IV We have seen that when the Goths first entered Roman territory they were driven on by a vast migration of the Asiatic Huns. These wild and hideous tribes then […] appeared upon the Rhine, and in enormous numbers penetrated Gaul. No people had yet understood them, none had even checked their career. The white races seemed helpless against this "yellow peril", this "Scourge of God", as Attila was called. Goths and Romans and all the varied tribes which were ranging in perturbed whirl through unhappy Gaul laid aside their lesser enmities and met in common cause against this terrible invader. The battle of Châlons, 451, was the most tremendous struggle in which Turanian was ever matched against Aryan, the one huge bid of the stagnant, unprogressive races, for earth’s mastery. (dated) An Indo-Iranian. (linguistics, dated) An Indo-Aryan. (ethnography, dated) A subdivision of the Caucasian racial and linguistic grouping, when that grouping is defined as consisting of Aryans, Semites, and Hamites. ==== Usage notes ==== In popular conception, the Aryan racial type is marked by blond hair and blue eyes, but these are not criteria of any of the racial definitions, including the definitions institutionally espoused by the Nazi Party. The Nazi and neo-Nazi racial senses are the only ones familiar to most speakers. The other senses ("Indo-Iranian", "Indo-European, Proto-Indo-European", and "subdivision of Caucasian") are not likely to be understood. Because of this, and because the term carries a strong emotional charge, the technical senses are perhaps best avoided outside of academic contexts where they are certain to be understood, and the racial senses connected with Nazism are perhaps best avoided altogether. Neo-Nazis generally do not intend Aryan to be pejorative, but it can be taken as such outside of the neo-Nazi community, because of the term’s heavy use by and association with the Nazis. Indeed, because neo-Nazis are the main users of the term, it is sometimes used by non-Nazis as a euphemism for ‘white racist’. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === Aryan (comparative more Aryan, superlative most Aryan) Pertaining, in racial theories, to the (alleged) Aryan master race. 1925–26, Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, translation from German to English by James Murphy, 1939 Look at the ravages from which our people are suffering daily as a result of being contaminated with Jewish blood. Bear in mind the fact that this poisonous contamination can be eliminated from the national body only after centuries, or perhaps never. Think further of how the process of racial decomposition is debasing and in some cases even destroying the fundamental Aryan qualities of our German people, so that our cultural creativeness as a nation is gradually becoming impotent and we are running the danger, at least in our great cities, of falling to the level where Southern Italy is to-day. Antonym: non-Aryan (neo-Nazi or white supremacist ideology, informal) Pertaining to the Caucasian ethnicity. (US, informal, euphemistic) Pertaining to Caucasian racists or their organisations, theories, etc. (dated) Of or pertaining to Indo-Iranian peoples, cultures, and languages. 1872-79: John Beames, A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India: to wit, Hindi, Panjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya and Bangall [W]ith all due deference to the opinions of scholars, it may be urged that much of this elaborate development arose in an age when the speech of the people had wandered very far away from the classical type. Even if it were not so, even if there ever were a time when the Aryan peasant used poly-syllabic desideratives, and was familiar with multiform aorists, it is clear that he began to satisfy himself with a simpler system at a very distant epoch, for the range of forms in Pali and the other Prakrits is far narrower than in classical Sanskrit. (dated) Of or pertaining to Indo-European peoples, cultures and languages. 1905, Rossiter Johnson, LL.D., chief editor, The Great Events by Famous Historians, volume IV Who were these Teutons? Rome knew them only vaguely as wild tribes dwelling in the gloom of the great forest wilderness. In reality they were but the vanguard of vast races of human beings who through ages had been slowly populating all Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Beyond the Teutons were other Aryans, the Slavs. Beyond these were vague non-Aryan races like the Huns. […] ==== Translations ==== === Proper noun === Aryan The language of the original Aryans. A male given name of Indian usage. === References === === Further reading === Schmitt R. (1987), “Aryans”, in Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, New York, retrieved 12 May 2010 Indo-European Indo-European languages Aryan Invasion Theory Aryan Aryan Nations === Anagrams === ayran, Rayna, Nayar, Rayan