[Lowlands-l] Is the list alive? Here is a linguist question!

[Lowlands Languages & Cultures]

On 7/18/2017 8:52 AM, Marcel wrote:
> Good afternoon, all, Michael,
>
> Indeed, High German _Pfad_, Dutch _pad_, and English _path_ did not 
> enter these languages through the normal *path*. According to my tutor 
> Michael de Vaan it entered the Germanic languages through an Eastern 
> Iranian language, and not through Latin.
>
> It must have entered the Germanic languages after Grimm's Law turned 
> PIE p- into f-, otherwise we would have had English *fath and Dutch *vad.
> Cf. Old Avestan _patha_ 'way'. This explains the loss of the nasal.
>
> The European plains have had visits from several Eastern Iranian 
> tribes such as the Sarmatians, who were dwelling in the Pontic steppe 
> through which they had access to these plains.

I don't think the subject would be complete without a passing reference 
to Latin pontifex and from that pontiff, the bridgemaker I suppose 
between heaven and earth.  Just in case you were not aware, the pontiff 
was the high priest of the state religion of Rome.  The term was later 
applied to the Archbishop of Rome upon the ascendancy of Christianity.

Ed Alexander


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