Abstract
In spite of its various readings apadana-, apadana-, appadan- or appa danna, O. P. apadaana- is rather to be read apadana-, vrddhi form of *apadana- which, in its turn, may be analysed as *apa-d-ana- root aorist participle passive of apa-da- “set apait, put apart, separate”. Originally *apa-d-ana-must have taken place in such a bahuvrihi *stunâpadana-uarti- “(building) whose roof (varti-) is separated (from floor) by pillars” or a wording *-šaiy *vartiš *stunaya *apadand *astiy “its (i. e. building's) roof is separated (from floor) by pillars”. Afterwards, when the word *apadana- was singled out so as to denote the very building, it must have lengthened its preverb *apa- to apa-, viz. apadana-. Manichaean Parthian 'pdn, and its loan-word in Syriac apadna, no less than Manichaean Middle Persian ”ywn are only continuation of it. Supposed later lengthening of the initial a- to a-must be rejected. The generally accepted apadana- with its analysis as apa-da-na- and its rapprochement with Ind. apadha- f. “concealment” or απoθηκη“storehouse”, would give a meaning such as “prison” or at best “storehouse”, αgainst expectation of “palace”. For further details, see my article “Gathica X Old Persian apadaana-”, Orient, Vol. 8, p. 46 ff.
