*gwh in Gmc.

[Larry Trask]

Thomas McFadden writes:

>  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.

As a non-Germanist, I have a question.  Is it certain that OHG <fimf>
and <finf> genuinely represent different pronunciations?  Or might it be
that both are attempts at spelling a word pronounced with a labiodental
nasal (IPA 'hooked m' or 'meng')?

Larry Trask
COGS
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QH
UK

larryt at cogs.susx.ac.uk

Tel: 01273-678693 (from UK); +44-1273-678693 (from abroad)
Fax: 01273-671320 (from UK); +44-1273-671320 (from abroad)