Re: [tied] The "Mother" Problem

From: Sean Whalen
Message: 36036
Date: 2005-01-26

--- Rob <magwich78@...> wrote:

> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "petegray"
> <petegray@...> wrote:
>
> > Do you mean the difference in accent and stem
> vowel?
>
> Vedic has ma:t�: (< *ma:t�:r) "mother" and pit�: (<
> *pit�:r) "father", right? Greek, on the other hand,
> has
> m�:te:r "mother" (Attic) pat�:r "father". Which one
> is supposed to
> have the more original accent scheme?

My answer involves my own theories, so don't take
this as representative or definitive.

Something like:

ama' (high tone on final a) mother
(pa)pa` father
dhu`ga (low tone on u) daughter
xa`ta`r family member

a>0/#_
a>0/_#

The informal terms are added to xa`ta`r and become
standard. Possibly haplology with "father" at this
time.

ma'+xa`ta`r+s
pa`+
dhu`g+

Low tone changes to mid when followed by low;
repeats.

ma'xata`rs
paxata`rs
dhugxata`rs

Consonants next to x, etc., become aspirated.

s following sonorant or fricative in same syllable
disappears and causes lengthening of previous vowel if
it has high or low tone.

a with mid tone disappears (in many cases; exact
details not important here).

a'>o'

a`>e`

only first tone remains

tone>stress

mo'x-te:r
px-te:'r
dhugh-x-te:'r

x causes o to become a

So the original accent is as in Greek and regular
according to sound changes. Sanskrit has analogy
change it.




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