The connection between the words "Dea" and "Dheu". An essay in the form of a linguistic and cultural analysis

In terms of life, we have been faced with the whole word earth since the first days of life and even more so when we have just begun to articulate the wonderful words of our common language, Albanian, which is one of the exceptional characteristics that have given us left by our ancestors, the Pelasgians and the Illyrians, and which distinguishes us fourfold from other nations.

In the scientific aspect, I have come across the word "dea" and the word of the Albanian language "dheu" (soil, earth) since 1984 when I started my studies at the University of Agriculture of Tirana, (At that time the Higher Agricultural Institute), in the Agronomy program.

The science of agronomy is a field of study that deals with producing and managing agricultural resources and studying. As a science, it includes the study of plant cultivation, land management, production technologies, and conservation of natural resources. Agronomy is closely related to land and soil, since (1) it examines the physical, chemical, and biological qualities of the soil, evaluating it as an important resource for plant development, (2) it helps to choose the right crops for certain conditions of soil and climate, (3) includes and describes practices that help maintain soil health and promote sustainable development, including the use of environmental protection methods, and (4) aims to balance agricultural production with conservation of natural resources, such as water, soil and biodiversity.

In the agronomic concept, soil represents a complex system that includes physical, chemical, and biological components. It is essential for agricultural production and has several main characteristics:

·???????? Soil structure: "Soil structure is important for plant growth, as good structure allows water and air to pass through to the roots." (Brady, N.C., & Weil, R.R. "The Nature and Properties of Soils")

·???????? Chemical composition: "Soil chemical composition plays a key role in the availability of nutrients to plants, influencing their growth and development." (Sparks, D.L. "Environmental Soil Chemistry")

·???????? Soil biology: "Microorganisms in soil are essential for decomposition processes and improving soil fertility." (Kirk, J.L., et al. "Soil Microbiology")

·???????? Erosion and management: "Soil management practices are important to prevent erosion and maintain soil productivity." (Pimentel, D. "Soil Erosion: A Food and Environmental Threat")

·???????? Soil classification: "Soil classification is essential to understand its characteristics and to choose the most suitable crops." (Soil Survey Staff. "Keys to Soil Taxonomy")

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Below I am listing some studies related to the mythology, rituals, and symbolism of the earth in the agronomic context:

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1. Mythology and Agriculture

·???????? Pritchard, J. B. (1990). Ancient Near Eastern texts relating to the Old Testament (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.

·???????? Altman, I. (2008). The role of mythology in agricultural practices. Agricultural History, 82(4), 516-533.

2. Rituals and Agriculture

·???????? Mauss, M. (1990). The gift: Forms and functions of exchange in archaic societies. W.W. Norton & Company.

·???????? Ouzounis, K., & Markou, S. (2015). Rituals in agriculture: An anthropological perspective. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 11(1), 1-9.

3. Symbolism of the Earth

·???????? Gimbutas, M. (1982). The goddesses and gods of old Europe: 6500-3500 B.C. University of California Press.

·???????? Kearney, M. (2017). Earth as a nurturing mother: Symbolism and agriculture. Cultural Geographies, 24(2), 267-285.

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Focusing on references where the word "Dea" (as goddess of the earth) is mentioned, I found some possible sources related to mythology and symbolism:

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1. Roman Mythology and Agriculture

·???????? Grimal, P. (1992). A dictionary of classical mythology. Blackwell.

·???????? H. Hesiod. (2006). Theogony. In The Homeric Hymns and Homerica (pp. 15-22). Harvard University Press.

2. Goddesses and Their Role in Agriculture

·???????? Gimbutas, M. (1982). The goddesses and gods of old Europe: 6500-3500 B.C. University of California Press.

·???????? Campbell, J. (1991). The power of myth. Anchor Books.

3. Rituals and Symbolism

·???????? Malinowski, B. (1954). Magic, science and religion, and other essays. Doubleday.

·???????? Eliade, M. (1987). The sacred and the profane: The nature of religion. Harcourt.

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The connection between the words "dea" and "dheu" (soil, earth) constitutes an important aspect of Albanian mythology and culture, reflecting semantic and etymological relationships. Studying the transformations of these words helps in understanding the evolution of language and its influences on culture.

In terms of etymology, the word "dea" according to some researchers derives from Latin, and means "goddess". In the Albanian context, "dea" symbolizes female energies and powers of nature, closely related to fertility and protection. As Hoxha (2018) points out, "Dea" is a central figure representing the creative force of nature, and the word "dheu" originates from an even older Indo-European root than Latin, which is the word "déghom" and/or "dhéghom", which means land (Skeat, 2000). This linguistic transformation shows that the concept of earth is closely related to feminine creative energies, reinforcing the connection between "Dea" and "dheu".

In terms of linguistic transformation, that is, phonetic relationships, the transformation from "dea" to "dheu" involves phonetic and morphological changes, which are typical of language development, where similar words are often transformed to fit the structure of the language (Fortson, 2010).

In this respect, the relationship between the words "Dea" and "dheu" contains a strong semantic connection, because "Dea" represents creative and protective energies, while "dheu" is an expression of this force embodied in the form of earth. This shows that the figure of the goddess is closely related to the concept of the earth as a vital element (Krasniqi, 2019).

In terms of linguistic analysis, the transformation of words in Indo-European-based languages is a well-known phenomenon. Latin also has "terra" for earth and "deus" for goddess or god, indicating a close connection between the gods and nature (Keller, 1994).

In terms of sound reversal, this process (metathesis) is common in the development of Indo-European languages. Sometimes, similar words generate different rules to form new meanings. This is evident in the evolution of words related to women and the earth (Fortson, 2010).

In terms of cultural significance, the connection between the words "dea" and "dheu" shows a deep symbolism involving the concepts of protection and fertility, which are important to the Albanian identity. Popular rituals and beliefs related to nature emphasize this relationship, making it a central element of Albanian culture.

In this aspect, the commonality of the words "dea" and "dheu", or even the transformation of one of the other, illustrates a deep cultural and mythological relationship, which is present in the Albanian tradition. These concepts show how culture, language, and nature are closely related to each other, creating a rich narrative for Albanian identity.

Even more specifically, the phenomenon of returning vowels, specifically the vowel "A" to "U" and vice versa, in Indo-European languages, including Albanian, is now considered by all researchers as a phonological and morphological phenomenon, which is an important process and essential for the understanding of the evolution of linguistic structures and the formation of words known as the "ablaut" phenomenon, the study of which also helps to reveal the connections between Indo-European languages.

In the theoretical aspect, the return of the vowels "a" to "u" occurs due to phonological changes that help to maintain the harmony of the vowels or to improve the structure of the words. The "ablaut" phenomenon is known for its influence on the creation of different forms of verbs, as well as on the construction of other words (Hock, 1991). This transformation is often related to the expression of morphology in different word forms, reflecting common evolutions in Indo-European languages.

Examples in the Albanian language. In the Albanian language, some examples of the transformation of the vowel "a" into other vowels include verbs, for example, the verb "kam" (I have) and its variation "kisha" (I had) illustrate how the vowel "a" changes to create different forms of verbs. This process helps to maintain the rhythm and harmony of the language (Bardhi, 2021), or for example, the word "marr" (I take) which changes to "mora" (I took) shows a similar transformation. These changes help to create a coherent and harmonious structure in the Albanian language.

Examples in the German language. In German, the process of vowel reversal is also evident. Examples include the verb "laufen" (to run): In the form "lief" (he ran), the vowel "a" changes to "u", illustrating a phenomenon similar to that of Albanian (Keller, 1994).

In the English language. In English, the vowel transformation is visible in the different verbs: The verb "to swim": Changes to "swam" (he swam) and "swum", where the change of the vowel "i" shows a transformation similar to that of Albanian (Fortson, 2010).

In the Greek language. In the?ancient Greek language, similar transformations also occur. Ex: The verb "phero" (I bring) changes to "pherein", where the vowel "e" helps to form different variations.

This phenomenon is important because it helps to illuminate how languages develop and transform over time, helps to create different forms of verbs and other words, contributes to the enrichment of the language, helps to maintain a phonological harmony that is essential for language sounds and the memorization of word forms and ultimately is an important process that illustrates the evolution of Indo-European languages, including Albanian. This helps in understanding the connections between words and creates a rich overview of the history of languages.

In conclusion, the analysis of the connection between the words "DEA" and "DHEU" reveals an extraordinary example of semantic and morphological interconnection in the Albanian language. These two terms, through their symbolic and historical content, reflect a profound relationship that helps illuminate concepts of nature and existence. In this context, "DEA" represents spiritual force and transcendence, while "DHEU" implies the material element and the foundation of life. This duality offers a broader understanding of Albanian cultural identity, emphasizing harmony between what is above and what is within. Therefore, the study of these words is not merely a linguistic exercise, but a deep exploration of the collective consciousness and values that permeate the history of the Albanian people.

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Literature

1.????? Altman, I. (2008). The role of mythology in agricultural practices. Agricultural History, 82(4), 516-533.

2.????? Bardhi, E. (2021). Folklori shqiptar: Mitet dhe traditat e natyr?s. Prishtin?: Botimet Dituria.

3.????? Brady, N. C., & Weil, R. R. (2010). The nature and properties of soils (15th ed.). Pearson.

4.????? Campbell, J. (1991). The power of myth. Anchor Books.

5.????? Eliade, M. (1987). The sacred and the profane: The nature of religion. Harcourt.

6.????? Fortson, B. W. (2010). Indo-European Language and Culture. Wiley-Blackwell.

7.????? Gimbutas, M. (1982). The goddesses and gods of old Europe: 6500-3500 B.C. University of California Press.

8.????? Grimal, P. (1992). A dictionary of classical mythology. Blackwell.

9.????? Hesiod. (2006). Theogony. In The Homeric Hymns and Homerica (p. 15-22). Harvard University Press.

10.? Hock, H. H. (1991). Principles of Historical Linguistics. Mouton de Gruyter.

11.? Hoxha, L. (2018). Femra dhe natyra n? tradit?n shqiptare. Shkod?r: Botime Fishta.

12.? Kearney, M. (2017). Earth as a nurturing mother: Symbolism and agriculture. Cultural Geographies, 24(2), 267-285. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474474016646104

13.? Keller, R. (1994). Historical Linguistics. Routledge.

14.? Kirk, J. L., Beaudette, L. A., Hart, M., Moutoglis, P., & Paul, E. A. (2004). Soil microbiology: A method for estimating microbial biomass. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 36(5), 683-688.

15.? Krasniqi, A. (2019). Ritualet e natyr?s n? kultur?n shqiptare. Tiran?: Botimet UET.

16.? Lindgren, M. (2014). Archetypes and Gender in Mythology: The Mother Figure. Nordic Journal of Mythology Studies, 12(3), 45-60.

17.? Malinowski, B. (1954). Magic, science and religion and other essays. Doubleday.

18.? Marku, A. (2020). Mitologjia shqiptare: Ndikimi i natyr?s dhe per?ndeshave n? kultur?n ton?. Tiran?: Botimet UET.

19.? Mauss, M. (1990). The gift: Forms and functions of exchange in archaic societies. W.W. Norton & Company.

20.? Ouzounis, K., & Markou, S. (2015). Rituals in agriculture: An anthropological perspective. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 11(1), 1-9.

21.? Pimentel, D. (2006). Soil erosion: A food and environmental threat. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 13(3), 271-277. https://doi.org/10.1065/espr2006.05.321

22.? Pritchard, J. B. (1990). Ancient Near Eastern texts relating to the Old Testament (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.

23.? Sharpe, E. J. (1986). Comparative Religion: A History. Macmillan.

24.? Skeat, W. W. (2000). Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. Elibron Classics.

25.? Soil Survey Staff. (2014). Keys to soil taxonomy (12th ed.). United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

26.? Sparks, D. L. (2003). Environmental soil chemistry. Academic Press.

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