IE, Genetic Data, Languages of Anatolia

[Glen Gordon]

FROM SOMEBODY (I forgot who, sorry):
  A question:
  IE *{kuon} (likely *{kewon} before zero-grading started) = Modern
  Chinese {chu"an} (Wade-Giles spelling), Ancient Chinese *{kywan}
  (1 syllable) = "dog".

ROBERT ORR:
  Actually, there is evidnece to suggest that IE *kuon is probably
  from a zero-grade of *pekuon (*pkuon) > *kuon, and related to *peku-
  "herd(?)". While semantically-based criticisms of comparing *kuon
  ("dog" > "wolf"., "wolf > "dog" is almost a commonplace sematic
  development, although the extinction of the wolf over vast
  territories makes it a little less likely nowadays) will not do, a
  comparison between IE *pekuon and Nostratic, etc. forms would be a
  desideratum.

I'm not sure what "evidence" Robert is refering to but this proposed
etymology of *k^won from *pekuon has always given me upset stomach.
Until we find a *p- before that word in some attested language, it's all
but one of many possibilities (Probably the unlikeliest possibility
too).

I find the original concept the most reasonable - *k^won has been
reduced from a longer form **kewon. It explains the palatalization of
the velar without positing an arbitrary consonant that conveniently
disappears even though there is little evidence for such a thing
happening in IE besides the *d- in *dekm (which I have an alternative
explanation for). As well, such a reduction due to stress accent is less
awkward.

Allan Bomhard reconstructs a Nostratic item, #652 *k[h]uwan-/*khuw at n-
"dog", to account for both IE *k^won and AfroAsiatic with similar forms.
Illych-Svitych's earlier Nostratic reconstruction of #238 *K.u"jnA
"wolf, dog" (? AA *k(j)n/*k(j)l, *k(w)l "dog, wolf"; IE *k^uo:n/k^un-
"dog"; Uralic *ku"jna" "wolf") is mentioned and is also based on Uralic
forms like Lapp <ga^idne> "wolf"; Mordvin/Udmurt <kyjon> "wolf";
Cheremis/Komi <ke,jin> "wolf", all of which Bomhard had trouble finding
at the time of his publication of "Studia Nostratica, 1 - Indo-European
and the Nostratic Hypothesis" by Signum Desktop Publishing, Charleston,
SC (1996)

Not knowing alot of detail behind the forms sited for AA, it looks
intriguing but IE and AA are very far apart. I'd be interested to know
if others have found these forms in Uralic that Illych-Svitych mentions
and if so, could they simply be borrowed from IE?

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