IE "Urheimat" and evidence from Uralic linguistics

[Stanley Friesen]

At 08:10 PM 2/13/00 +0100, Stefan Georg wrote:

>"bear" = "brown one" OK

>"wolf" = "outlaw", I'd like an explanation

The word is used in that meaning in many old texts, especially old laws,
such as the Hittite legal code.  It is also one of the words applied to
Germanic berserkers in Roman times.

However, it is not clear to me in which direction the shift of meaning
occurred.  I can just as easily see the original word for wolf being used
as a slang term for an outlaw, or for a "wild man" in general.

[Certainly the article I read on its use in the Hittite legal code seemed
to assume the shift was from wolf to outlaw].

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May the peace of God be with you.         sarima at ix.netcom.com