ASB puza

[Koontz John E]

On Thu, 14 Aug 2003, CRAIG KOPRIS wrote:
> Before trying to assign a source language to cat
> terms, it might be best to rule out onomatopeia first!
> I've encountered the claim (I don't have the
> reference handy anymore) that (domestic) cat terms
> around the world are usually based on either: ...

> 1. the sound a cat makes; e.g., English 'meow',
> Chinese 'miao'

....

> 3. another call to get a cat's attention (ktktktk);
> e.g. English 'cat', 'kitten', Arabic 'q at Ta'
>
> I wouldn't be surprised if the ancient Egyptians, who
> domesticated the cat in the first place, used one of
> the onomatopeic "roots".

Gardiner's Egyptian Grammar 3rd Ed., p. 459, gives miw, where the i has a
left opening hook over it and is apparently supposed to represent a y,
i.e., myw (missing the vowels, of course).  So, you're quite right.

I hadn't realized that forms other than "meow" were considered
onomatopoeic, and your Pashto form puts pVS forms further afield in IE as
well.

Webster's reports that kitten has evolved from a Old French diminutive
form chaton.  I gather kit is a back formation.

JEK