ON THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF THE STATE “MITANNI” AND THE NAKH ETHNONYMS “BATSBI”, “VAPPI”

Albogachiev Magomed Mikhailovich

This article attempts to explain, taking into account the recently accumulated scientific data, the origin of the name of the ancient state on the territory of Northern Mesopotamia and adjacent areas - Mitanni. The author believes that this ancient term is related to the modern Nakh endoethnonyms batsbi and vappii. Therefore, the article pays attention to the linguistic connections of the Hurrito-Urartians with the Nakh ethnic massif, regardless of whether they were due to borrowings or genetic kinship. The study found that the terms Mitanni, batsbi and wappiy come from the same source, which is based on the root baht. At the same time, the alternation of b- // v- // m- at the beginning of a word is explained by dialectal differences within the Hurrito-Urartian languages and the peculiarities of the grammar of the languages of neighboring peoples, through which different versions of these names have reached us.

Keywords:Mitanni, Manna, Hanigalbat, Naharin, matiens, mats, bats, batsbi, vappii.