IE *k^won and its origin

[Glen Gordon]

ROBERT ORR:
  "Ironically, although there does seem to be a considerable amount
  of evidence that the notions 'dog' and 'wolf' can be combined, the
  reconstruction of Nostratic *k|ynd [...]

ADAM HYLLESTED:
  (or, at least, velar plosive + vowel + n + vowel - the Nostratic
  etc. reconstructions are even less authorized than the IE ones)

Actually, if we're going to stick our hands into Nostratic on this
word (and it's going to be messy), we might as well do it right. We
must reconstruct an earlier **kawina with three syllables, not one.
Without a *w we can't explain why it exists in IE *k^won-. Thanks to
you folks, I might have found another example of my pretty sound rule
**-VCV > *-V'C.

Thus, **kawini > **kawene > **kawe'n > *k^wen- (but this means that
the word originally had *-e-, not *-o-. Objections?). Uralic *ku"ina"
is then representative of **kawini alright. Altaic forms with <qani>
and such are reasonable if they can properly be derived from an
earlier **kaini. Further, AA has *kawan- according to Bomhard and
others so things seem happy for a long-range explanation of the word,
certainly better than **pkuon can do.

On a related note, Chinese <chu"an> recently mentioned could be from
an IE language but... if this is honestly from an ST item *kwyan (ST
is c. 4000 BCE no?) then I severely doubt it due to time and location
and thus an eastern Proto-Steppe dialect with *kawina (c. > 9000 BCE)
might be a possible explanation. It's all dependant on how secure ST
*kwyan is.

But I realise I'm getting really conjectural at this point so I'll
take other suggestions if nec. Just food for thought.

ROBERT ORR:
  [...] etc., < IE *peku-, and that OCS pisu is also related.
ADAM HYLLESTED:
  Hmm, peculiar. But no doubt that OCS pisu is PIE *pek^u- in some
  form.

Exactly. I still don't see *p- peeping out of from behind a *k. Until
then, there's nothing to say.

ADAM HYLLESTED:
  Note even Lithuanian <s^u~o>.

Way to go, Adam. Let's see if he can wiggle his way out of that one.
<snicker, giggle, teehee> :)

--------------------------------------------
Glen Gordon
glengordon01 at hotmail.com

[ Moderator's request:
  Let's move the Nostratic discussion to that list, please.
  --rma ]