The word for "one"

From: Glen Gordon
Message: 6904
Date: 2001-04-01

Piotr:
>I concur in general, but I hope I showed that in _Greek_ (though not
>necessarily elsewhere) the influence of the word for "30" could suffice as
>the source of analogic length in the higher decads, and indeed some of the
>lengthened forms are _best_ explained in this way.

Hmm, a somewhat vague response by Piotr who concurs with something
but what exactly? But anyways, I have another brilliant flash
[Oh no! Not again! This guy's a loony!!]. Miguel keeps buggin' me
about how I'm pushing an unattested form *t:eu for "one". I'm not
actually pushing it really and its existence really has little to
do with my theories on the origins of the decads but if he
insists...

The expected form of Early IE *t:eu in Late IE is **deu (no rocket
science there!). It's possible that one would see a lengthened
form as well (**de:u) similar to that in pronouns but at any rate,
we know that none of this exists in Common IE. Too bad for me.

However, there is something interesting about the verb *deu- which
means "to lack" (> dein, dys-). One might temptingly connect the
meaning of "to lack" with the very parallel meaning of "to be alone"
or rather "to be ONE"...

If one has problems with numerals becoming verbs, I put forth
exhibit A: "unify".

Now is the populus pleased?

- gLeN

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