Re: [tied] Sanskrit form a.s.tau

The dual -au frequently alternates with -a: in Vedic. However,
with a.s.ta, the lengthening is also seen in other case forms
such as a.s.taabhi.h, a.s.taabhya.h. This contrasts with
navabhi.h and navabhya.h. So there is some inherited different
behavior in the forms of a.s.ta.

Madhav Deshpande

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "P&G" <petegray@...> wrote:
> Piotr didn't say (perhaps took it for granted) that the apparently
dual
> shape of Skt astau is shared with Greek okto: (-o: regular dual
ending)
> and apparently with Latin, even though duals have not survived
in Latin. cf
> the words for "two": duo / duo:
>
> Gothic on the other hand has "two" twai / twa / twos, but "eight"
ahtau.
>
> Note that the Skt form quoted (astau) is not the only attested
form in Skt:
> the simple form asta is also found in nom/voc/acc. Is asta
secondary, or is
> astau secondary? astau is commonest in the Rgveda, but
asta and asta: also
> occur there.
>
> Peter