Where does “can” come from?
can (Turkish) comes from Persian جان, from Middle Persian yʾn', from Proto-Iranian *wyaHnáH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian wyaHnás, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑.
can (Turkish): soul, life, being; sweetheart
Definitions
- soul, life, being; sweetheart
Ancestry of “can”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Persian | جان | soul; being; life |
| 2 | Middle Persian | yʾn' | — |
| 3 | Proto-Iranian | *wyaHnáH | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | wyaHnás | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁‑ | — |