Re: [tied] Re: Post-Gothic "Getic" fantasies

From: Piotr Gasiorowski
Message: 13039
Date: 2002-04-05

I've seen <mbys, -t> etymologised as <mb(ë)-> (a frequent prefix in Albanian) + *piH-tjo: from the 'drink' root *p(o)iH- (Alb. pi-), but this etymology is unconvincing semantically ('drown' = 'drink to excess'?) and even less convincing phonologically. I much prefer Eric Hamp's (?) derivation of <mbys> and <zhys> from a common root (with the prefixes <mb-> and <zh->), which is a reasonable solution for structurally similar verbs meaning 'sink, drown' and 'immerse, bathe'. The root in question is *wed- 'to make wet', and the pre-Albanian verbs were of the shape PREFIX + *úd-jo:, *úd-i:- > *-yz, *-yd > -ys, -yt (attracted into the *-tjo: declension due to final devoicing). Not really maritime terms (you can drown inland too), but surely native ones.
 
I don't know if there is an accepted etymology of <kripë>. Formally, the simplest derivation would be from *krpa:, perhaps from the PIE root *kerp- 'pluck, collect' (Lat. carpo:), with a wide range of derived meanings (including Gk karpos 'fruit', Eng. harvest, etc.), unsurprisingly for such a general focal sense. The Slavic reflex of that etymon (*c^Irpati) means 'scoop, ladle out'; maybe the word refers to the way in which salt was obtained from brine. Any better suggestions?
 
Piotr
 
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: mbikqyres
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 3:34 PM
Subject: [tied] Re: Post-Gothic "Getic" fantasies

 

It would also be interensting to know the etymology of the words <zhyt> 'dive', <mbyt> 'sink', <kripë> 'salt'.