Re: [tied] names for HORSE

Of course, the meaning 'castrated' doesn't matches that of Slavic *kobyla, which is always 'mare'. It's very likely somehow related to caballus (and thus ultimately to the Celtic word, see Chris's comments), though the details are far from clear (Slavic *y < *u:). The *komni- < *kobni- etymology for *konjI- is accepted by some Slavicists (one could adduce archaic Polish komunik ~ komonik 'a troop of riders'), though it's all rather conjectural and not uncontradicted. One should also consider possible links with Slavic *kopyto 'hoof' and *kopati 'kick, dig', which doubtless represent the native development of PIE *kap(H)-.

Piotr

----- Original Message -----
From: João Simões Lopes Filho

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Friday, October 27, 2000 1:08 AM

Subject: [tied] names for HORSE

According to "Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the principal IE languages" (C.D.Duck)

Latin caballus may mean "castrated"

cf.

Grk kabe:los "castrated"

Slavic kobila or kobyla "mare"

note: (i) = short i (u) = short u

ChSlav konj(i) < *komniyo- cf. Russian komon' VPruss camnet Lit kumelys (foal), kumele (mare)

*komnijo < *kobniyo- ?