Dating the final IE unity, in particular the word for "horse"

[proto-language]

Dear Miguel and IEists:

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Miguel Carrasquer Vidal" <mcv at wxs.nl>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 1:36 AM

> "proto-language" <proto-language at email.msn.com> wrote:

>> I am reasonably sure (though, subject to correction) that a process of
>> deriving *H(1)ek^uo-s from *H(3)o:k^u's is simply not possible.

>> On the other hand, it, at least, appears possible that **H(1)o:k^u'-s
>> *might* be derived from *H(1)ek^uo-s although the lengthened vowel is a
>> problem.

[MCV]

> If we assume an adjective stem *h1ek^u- ( ~ *h1o:k^u-),
> *h1ek^u-o- certainly looks like a definite/substantivized
> adjective ("the fast one"), derived with -o-.

[PR]

Yes, I think it possible that *H(1)ek^-ew- (verbal) could first become
*H(1)e'k^-u- (nominal), and then become *H(1)ok^-u'- (adjectival), and
finally *H(1)o:k^u'- with expressive (vr.ddhi) lengthening.

And from *H(1)ek^-w-e'-s (nominal), the nominal form we find,
*H(1)e'k^w-o-s.

I would be inclined to consider the basal form a combination of *H(1)e- +
*k^(y)e(:)u-, either a form derived from *ke:i- or an alternate form of the
same root, *ke:u-, seen in its s-mobile from: *s-k^e/e:u-.

I think it might even be possible to ultimately reconstruct **k^(h)e-H(1)e-,
'**run away'; **k^(h)e(-H(1)e)-w-, '**speed up (away), cause one's self to
start running (away)'); **k^(h)e-ye-, '**fast', with the initial *H(1)e-
representing 'away', somewhat redundantly.

[PRp]

>> Secondly, it is generally more likely that an adjective ('fast') was
>> derived from a noun ('horse') than the reverse --- particularly in view of
>> the early relative paucity of adjectives, and the existence of terms like
>> **k^(h)e:i-to- [my emendation] (*ke:i-to-), 'fast'.

[MCV]

> Notwithstanding the fact that six of the terms for "horse" listed
> in C.D. Buck's dictionary (alogo, horse, hengst, arklys, z^irgas
> and haya-) are adjectival or at least epithetical in origin.

[PR]
That is certainly a good point diachronically.

Pat

PATRICK C. RYAN | PROTO-LANGUAGE at email.msn.com (501) 227-9947 * 9115 W. 34th
St. Little Rock, AR 72204-4441 USA WEBPAGES: PROTO-LANGUAGE:
http://www.geocities.com/proto-language/ and PROTO-RELIGION:
http://www.geocities.com/proto-language/proto-religion/indexR.html "Veit ek,
at ek hekk, vindga meipi, nftr allar nmu, geiri undapr . . . a ~eim meipi er
mangi veit hvers hann af rstum renn." (Havamal 138)