TROY

The location of ancient Troy in Asia Minor—a region replete with toponyms of evident Kartvelian origin—strongly suggests that the Trojans, historically known as Teucrians, spoke a language from the Kartvelian family. This hypothesis can be substantiated from multiple perspectives.

Consider, for instance, the name "Troy," which bears a striking resemblance to the Georgian word troba, meaning "getting drunk." This thematic connection extends to the nearby city of Izmir (formerly Smyrna), whose name translates to "binges," hinting at a cultural or linguistic link rooted in Kartvelian vocabulary. Two additional examples further illuminate this connection.

In Chapter 122 of Book V of his Histories, Herodotus recounts that a certain Hymaes became the leader of the Gergithae, whom he identifies as the remnants of the ancient Teucrians (i.e., Trojans). The name Gergithae likely contains the Kartvelian toponym Gergeti, meaning "land of the Gerge/Gorg/Georgs." This toponym is mirrored in the name of a well-known village in Georgia, home to the famous Gergeti Trinity Church, reinforcing the Kartvelian linguistic footprint in the region.

Another compelling case is the name of the Trojan king Priam, which not only appears to have Kartvelian origins but may also connect to the Ukrainian language, given the shared linguistic roots between the Teucrians and ancient Ukrainians, who likely spoke a Kartvelian language. This connection might even shed light on the etymology of the Ukrainian word прямий.

Let’s examine the structure of Priam. In Otari Kajaia’s Megrelian dictionary, we find the pair ფსუა [psua] – ფსუამი [psuami], translated as ფრთა [prta] – ფრთიანი [prtiani] ("wing" vs. "winged"). This pairing demonstrates that the Zan adjectival suffix -am corresponds to the Georgian adjectival suffix -ian. If we apply this pattern to Priam, treating -am as a suffix, the root becomes pri-. The task, then, is to identify a Kartvelian root pri- with a meaning befitting a royal name.

While the root pri- does not appear in its pure form in Georgian, Chanturia’s dictionary provides a close match: the adverb ფრიად [priad], meaning "significantly," "extremely," "very," or "to a great extent." The suffix -ad marks an adverb in Georgian, and removing it leaves the root pri-, which conveys the idea of "significance" or "great degree." When combined with the Zan suffix -am, this root transforms into priam, meaning "significant" or "great"—a fitting name for a king of Priam’s stature.

This etymology also offers a bridge to the Ukrainian adjective прямий and its adverbial form прямо (priamo). Consider the usage in phrases like Да ты прямо силач! ("You’re very strong!") or Я должен идти прямо сейчас ("I must go right now"). In these contexts, прямо implies "very strong" or "right now," aligning with the Kartvelian meaning of pri- as "very" or "to a great extent." This suggests that the Ukrainian term may have inherited its semantic nuance from a Kartvelian source, with the name Priam serving as a linguistic anchor.

Additionally, the root priam- may appear in another Slavic word: упрямый (upriamiy), meaning "stubborn." Here, the prefix u- could be a Georgian negative marker, further embedding Kartvelian influence in Slavic vocabulary.

The Kartvelian origins of Troy’s name, the Gergithae toponym, and Priam’s name collectively underscore the profound linguistic connections between the Trojans and the Kartvelian language family, offering a fresh perspective on their cultural and historical identity in Asia Minor.