*gwh in Gmc.

[Thomas McFadden]

> Although I favor the assumption of *penkwe over *pempe, i don't think
> this an be used as an argument in its favor.  German is the only place
> where I can find -n- in Gmc. words for five, ON. having fimm, Goth. with
> fimf and OE OFris OS with fi:f (unless I'm missing something).  And in
> fact OHG has fimf next to finf and funf, and I think the fimf might be the
> older.  The change to -n- in HGer. would be an instance of a common
> dissimilation of m to n before f (or at least of a constraint that n is
> the only nasal allowed before f).  Consider Kunft, which is derived from
> some pre-form of kommen.

> Tom McFadden

Just to clarify: even if this means that Gmc. had -m- in its word for
`5', we still have no problem assuming original *penkwe, with assimilation
of *n > m in Gmc. following whatever (analogical, assimilatory) change
replaced the *-kw- with a *-p- (or the *-hw- with a -f- if it happened
after the consonant shift).

Tom McFadden