[Lingtyp] Query: Metaphors of Time and etymology

[Kulikov, L.]

Dear Bernhard,

Thank you for your response.
I am NOT claiming of course that ALL words for time (in ALL languages) can be etymologized on the basis of two metaphors for Time mentioned in my query (rotation and flow(ing)). What I AM interested in is a (preliminary) typology of semantic shifts that may eventually result in the meaning ‘time’; or, put differently, in a typology of possible (etymological) sources of the words for ‘time’. These sources are of course not limited to ‘rotation’ and ‘flow(ing)’ words. For instance, Germanic words for ‘time’ (time, Zeit, tijd etc.), are traceable to the derivatives of the Proto-Germanic (and Proto-Indo-European) verbal root meaning ‘to divide’ (PIE *deh2(i)-), thus originally meaning ‘division, section, piece; period, quantum of time’ or the like. Your Baltic example instantiates yet another possible etymological source of the word for ‘time’.
I am NOT claiming that the etymology necessarily reflects the difference in the way the Time is conceptualized by the speakers of a proto-language (Proto-Slavic, Proto-Germanic, Proto-Baltic etc.). My query is, I repeat, about a “typology of etymologies” of the words for Time. And, as I said, even a preliminary research demonstrates that, among several (quite many!) etymologies, we find one which can only be explained as based on one of the two archaic metaphors for Time (Time as rotation) – I think you won’t deny that this is the only way to explain the origin of the words for Time in Slavic and Indic (in the same way as words for, say, ‘horse’ originate in some languages from the adjective ‘quick’; words for ‘father’ – from ‘protector’; etc. etc.).
My question is thus: do we find languages, where the words for Time can be explained (etymologized) in terms of another metaphor for Time – Time as flow(ing)?
Best,
Leonid



________________________________
From: Bernhard Wälchli [bernhard at ling.su.se]
Sent: 25 January 2020 20:26
To: Kulikov, L.
Subject: Re: Query: Metaphors of Time and etymology


Dear Leonid,

I am not sure whether one can simply take for granted that the word for "time" in a language reflects an idea about the concept time. In the (East) Baltic languages, "time" is etymologically what is left: _laik(a)s_ and this obviously comes from uses in a particular construction: "I have (no) time" = "I have (no[thing]) left" (probably with the partitive genitive as the basic form rather than the nominative originally). I think it would be wrong to conclude that the ancestors of Latvians and Lithuanian conceived of time in an abstract sense of something that is left, the abstract notion of time is not the issue, the issue is concrete language use in a concrete construction, which, as a byproduct, gave rise to a particular noun with the meaning "time" in a sort of "deconstructionalization".

Put differently, metonymy rather than metaphor in this case.

This is about as if the Russian word for "time" would be **когда from мне некогда.

Best wishes,

Bernhard


________________________________
From: Lingtyp <lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org> on behalf of Kulikov, L. <L.Kulikov at hum.leidenuniv.nl>
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2020 2:16 PM
To: lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
Cc: lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org; kulikovli at googlemail.com
Subject: [Lingtyp] Query: Metaphors of Time and etymology


________________________________

From: Kulikov, L.
Sent: 24 January 2020 22:54
To: lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org
Cc: kulikovli at googlemail.com
Subject: Query: Metaphors of Time and etymology

Dear colleagues,

It is well-known that the concept of Time is linguistically connected with a plethora of metaphors that help to accommodate the notions related to Time within the human mind. In particular, there are two well-known universal metaphors for Time: Time as rotation (wheel, revolving etc.) and Time as flow(ing) (river etc.).

The former metaphor underlies the etymology of the words for Time in many languages, including Indo-European. Cf., for instance:
1) Slavic (Old Church Slavonic) vrěmę (with cognates), going back to *vert-men- ‘turning, rotation’; and
2) (Vedic) Sanskrit kāla- ‘time’ derived from the Indic reflex of the Proto-Indo-European root *kwel- ‘move (around), revolve, rotate’ (cf. words for ‘wheel’ in several Indo-European languages, such as Greek kyklos, Slavic kolo- etc., Germanic (Eng.) wheel etc., all derived from the reflexes of the same root).

However, I was unable to find similar examples for the latter metaphor – that of river/flow. Can anyone provide examples from any language, illustrating this metaphor, i.e. word for Time etymologizable as ‘river’, ‘flow’, ‘stream’ etc.?
Many thanks,

Leonid Kulikov

Ghent University, Linguistics Dept.
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