[tied] Re: Non-Indo-European in Germanic

>
>
> > The -mb- of 'lamb' and 'comb' is from -m-
>
> It isn't in these words (though of course excrescent /-b-/ may

appear in

> clusters like /-ml-/ or /-mr-/, as in <thimble> (OE þy:mel/þy:ml-),

and the

> <-mb> of <thumb> (OE þu:ma) is only orthographic, not etymological):
>
> Eng. lamb < OE lamb ~ lomb (with the <b> pronounced) < PGmc.
> *lambaz/*lambiz-;
>
> Eng. comb < OE camb ~ comb (with the <b> pronounced) < PGmc. *kamba-

<

> *g^ombHo- (cf. Gk. gompHos, Skt. jambHa- 'tooth', Slavic

*zo~bU 'tooth').

>

Sorry about the sloppiness. I use a public computer, which means if I
get up to verify something, I might have to wait another hour to get
access, so sometimes I shoot from the hip. No excuse, of course.

Torsten