Zana (tashikum)

**Zana** (*Zanë* mi̱ Gheg ku *Zërë* mi̱ Tosk, pl. *zanë(t)*, bu li tai njhyang a̱tat) ka yet nymph-ma̱nang li mi̱ Nkhang Ali̱baniyan ma̱ng Tashikum, ni mun kyang di̱ jen jhyang ma̱ng A̱fan, a̱sa̱khwot a̱cicen ma̱ng  a̱ghyui, a̱ka̱yit, kwon ma̱ng nyám, cet a̱tyubishi ma̱ng jen jhyang za̱kwa. **Zana e Madhe** ("the Great Zana") is thought to have been an Illyrian goddess, equivalent of the Ancient Greek Artemis and Roman Diana.

The zana are considered in folk beliefs to be extraordinary courageous (thus the Albanian expression *trim si zana*) and they confer their protection on warriors similarly to Pallas Athena of Ancient Greece. Innumerable Albanian folk poems, myths and legends that are dedicated to Zana and her friends have been handed down to modern times. The zana are thought to have observed the speeches at the League of Prizren at 1878. Similar Albanian mythological figures with nymph-like attributes are: Ora, Bardha, Shtojzovalle, Mira and Fatí.

## A̱lyoot
### Baliylyem
A̱lyoot ntswa a̱kya ghwut ma̱ng a̱khwukhwop nswang a̱lyiat A̱libaniyan ja.
Mat a̱nia, nwap nvwuon A̱libani̱yan ma̱di̱di̱t nshyia̱, ma̱nang tangka̱i *zânë*, *zënë*, *zërë*, *xanë*, *xânë*, etc. (ma̱ng li a̱tsatsak ntai nna: *zâna*, *zëna*, *zëra*, *xana*, *xâna*, etc.). Arbëreshë *Zónja* or *Zónja të Jáshtëme* á̱ ku mi̱n á̱  nyia̱ ta̱m ma̱ng a̱ nna, ta̱m ji á̱ ku shyia̱ nji meang mi̱ a̱tsatsak yong Alibani̱yan ma̱nang *Jashtësme*, euphemism si̱ *Zana*.

### Nkhyang
Neet ma̱ng wai kaat Illyriyan tyei mai *th* á̱ kwok nji cacaat ma̱ng *z* mi̱ Alibani̱yan, Illyriyan *Thana* (alyoot ka a̱ si nymph, a̱ta̱nyeang ku a̱bagwaza, á̱ tak ma̱ng lyuut nwuak a̱pyia̱ si ce Roman) yet di̱ cam taada da̱nian kyang hu shyia̱ a̱zason si Alibani̱yan hu *Zana*. A̱lyoot ka mi̱n a̱ yet di̱ tyan hu li ma̱nang mun a̱pyia̱ ma̱ng nat di̱di̱r ma̱ Latin *[[Diana (a̱lyoot)|Diāna]]*. In this case, along with Romanian *[[zână]]*, Albanian *zana* may be related to Proto-Indo-European *[[Dyeus]]* ('bright, sky, deity'), all ultimately deriving from **dyeu* 'sky', similarly to the Albanian sky and lightning god *[[Zojz (deity)|Zoj-z]]*, and its possible epithet *Zot* "Sky Father" from Proto-Albanian **dźie̅u ̊ a(t)t-*, ultimately from PIE *[[Dyēus|*Dyḗus ph₂tḗr]]*. The Arbëreshë variant of the name for nymph, *Zónja* (also referred to as *Zónja të Jáshtëme*), would also be a cognate. Similarly to *Zot* "God", "Lord", *zot* "lord", capitalized *Zonja* or *Zôja* is used in Albanian for "Goddess", "Lady" (cf. *[[Zonja e Dheut]]* and ''Zôja Prende'' or ''Zôja e Bukuris''), while uncapitalized *zonja* or *zôja* is used for "lady" or "mistress". Ancient Greek *Dióne*, parallel to Latin *Diāna*, could be regarded as a feminine counterpart of the Sky-God. The variant ζόνε *Zonë* appears in Albanian oaths like περ τένε ζόνε, *për tënë Zonë*, "By our God/Lord", and in Old Albanian texts for *[[Pater Noster]]* (*Tënëzonë*, *tënë-Zonë*). It is equivalent to the Albanian accusative *Zótënë/Zótnë*, obtained through the assimilation of *-tënë/-tnë* into *-në*. At the sanctuary of Dodona the Greek Sky-God Zeus is paired with Dione, and the geographical coincidence of the Albanian case is remarkable.

Other less common etymologies have been proposed: from Albanian: *zë/-ri*, *zâ/-ni*, meaning 'voice' (pl. *zëra/zana* meaning 'voices'), with the sense of 'muse', also interpreted as a goddess of singing; from Albanian: *zë(n)*, *xë(n)*, *zâ(n)*, meaning 'to take (hold of), seize, clutch, catch', as well as 'to learn'.

## Ya̱fang