Re: [tied] PIE mustelids and seals

From: petegray
Message: 4460
Date: 2000-10-21

João asked:

Is there PIE names for
weasel (Mustela nivalis and alike) ?
stoat (Mustela erminea) ?
...etc...

Remember the lesson of the Salmon and the Birch. Although these words are
widely shared among IE languages, it is not clear what precise fish or tree
they referred to in PIE. Even if you find words likely to be a
stoat-weasel type creature, we cannot project back into PIE the precise
meanings they have in attested languages.

Given that caveat, I can suggest *kek' for weasel.

I would be surprised to find a word for "seal" (the animal) given that there
is no word for sea.

Peter