[INDOLOGY] unicorn rgveda

[Rupert Gethin]

It is perhaps worth pointing out that in the poetic style of English 
that Griffith was using "with pointed horn" is strictly speaking also 
neutral as to number. Compare this phrase from George Henry Needler's 
1904 translation of the Nibelungenleid (916): " The boar within the 
forest they’d chase with pointed spear"

Rupert Gethin
University of Bristol

Email: Rupert.Gethin at bristol.ac.uk

On 15/06/2015 17:21, Gruenendahl, Reinhold wrote:
>
> As did Geldner's "Wie ein spitzhorniger Stier", by the way.
>
> RG
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *Von:* INDOLOGY [indology-bounces at list.indology.info]" im Auftrag von 
> "Hock, Hans Henrich [hhhock at illinois.edu]
> *Gesendet:* Montag, 15. Juni 2015 16:57
> *An:* Khem Lao
> *Cc:* Indology List
> *Betreff:* Re: [INDOLOGY] unicorn rgveda
>
> Thanks for your message, Khem Lao.
>
> It is always good to go to the original, rather than rely on a 
> 19th-century translation. Here is the Sanskrit text:
>
> vṛṣabhó ná tigmáśṛṅgo (RV 10.86.15)
>
> As you can see, /tigmáśṛṅga/ is a bahuvrīhi compound, whose gender and 
> number marking is determined by the possessor (the bull). The gender 
> and number of the thing possessed (the sharp /tigma/ horn /śṛṅga/) is 
> neutralized. The reading ‘with pointed (or sharp) horn’ therefore is 
> arbitrary; an alternative reading ‘with sharp horns’ is equally 
> possible, and given the nature of bovine animals, probably more 
> likely. Jamison & Brereton’s translation ‘sharp-horned’ manages to 
> capture the neutralization of number indication very nicely.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Hans Henrich Hock
>
>
>
> On 15 Jun 2015, at 03:26, Khem Lao <khemlao241 at gmail.com 
> <mailto:khemlao241 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>> Hi Hans,
>>    RV 10/86/15 has this translation by Griffith:
>> 15. Like as a bull with pointed horn, loud bellowing amid the herds,
>>      Sweet to thine heart, O Indra, is the brew which she who tends thee pours.
>>      Supreme is Indra over all.
>>   Why do scholars not accept this as the unicorn depicted on IVC seals?
>>
>> Best,
>> Khem
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> INDOLOGY mailing list
> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
> indology-owner at list.indology.info (messages to the list's managing committee)
> http://listinfo.indology.info (where you can change your list options or unsubscribe)



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.indology.info/pipermail/indology/attachments/20150615/a07b1377/attachment.htm>