c. 1600, as a term in classical history, from Latin Arianus, Ariana, from Greek Aria, Areia, names applied in classical times to the eastern part of ancient Persia and to its inhabitants. Ancient Persians used the name in reference to themselves (Old Persian ariya-), hence Iran. Ultimately from Sanskrit arya- "compatriot;" in later language "noble, of good family."
Also the name Sanskrit-speaking invaders of India gave themselves in the ancient texts, from which early 19c. European philologists (Friedrich Schlegel, 1819, who linked the word with German Ehre "honor") applied it to the ancient people we now call Indo-Europeans (suspecting that this is what they called themselves); this use is attested in English from 1851. The term fell into the hands of racists, and in German from 1845 it was specifically contrasted to Semitic (Lassen).
German philologist Max Müller (1823-1900) popularized the term in his writings on comparative linguistics, recommending it as the name (replacing Indo-European, Indo-Germanic, Caucasian, Jshortened) for the group of related, inflected languages connected with these peoples, mostly found in Europe but also including Sanskrit and Persian. Arian was used in this sense from 1839 (and is more philologically correct), but this spelling caused confusion with Arian, the term in ecclesiastical history.
Gradually replaced in comparative linguistics c. 1900 by Indo-European, except when used to distinguish Indo-European languages of India from non-Indo-European ones. Used in Nazi ideology to mean "member of a Caucasian Gentile race of Nordic type." As an ethnic designation, however, it is properly limited to Indo-Iranians (most justly to the latter) and has fallen from general academic use since the Nazi era.
双语例句
1. Only the Basques resisted the conquering Aryan speech.
只有巴斯克语抵制住了雅利安语的征服.
来自辞典例句
2. The Bulgarians also are a Turkish people, but they have acquired an Aryan speech.
保加利亚人也是一个土耳其民族, 不过他们学到的是雅利安语.
来自英汉非文学 - 历史
3. They all spoke variants of what once must have been the same language, Aryan.
他们说的全是同一种语言的不同变体,以前肯定都属于印欧语系语言.
来自英汉非文学 - 历史
4. The actual Huns disappear from history, mixed into the surrounding more numerous Aryan - speaking populations.
现实中的匈奴人从历史上消失, 融入周围人数更多的说雅利安语的群体.
来自英汉非文学 - 历史
5. The first ascertained appearance of the Aryan family was in connection with the domestic animals.
