Re: Yule's etymology and IE roots (or not)

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Piotr Gasiorowski <gpiotr@...> wrote:

>
> Joao S. Lopes wrote:
>
> > Is there any etymology for English yule (OE geol, Anglian giuli ON

jól,

> > ýlir Gothic jiuleis) beside *yegWH-, cf. Greek zophos?
>
> It can't be that. A careful analysis of all the Germanic material
> reveals an original neuter *jexWla- (--> Finn. juhla 'feast, fire')

with

> a collective affected by Verner's Law: *jegWlo: > *jeulo: 'Yule-time
> festivities'. There are further derivatives like *jeulija- (m.) or
> *jeulan- 'Yule month' (more or less = December, give or take a few
> weeks), where the *eu is also a development of *exW wia Verner's

Law. In

> PIE terms that would have been *jékW-lo- and *jekW-láh2. It is referred
> either to a rather insecurely reconstructed root *jekW- 'to speak
> passionately' or to some ancient contamination, perhaps involving
> *jeh1-ro- 'year, season' and *kWekWlo- 'wheel'.
>
> Piotr
>

The Finns do borrow from their neighbours.

Joulu - Yule/Christmas.
Joulu-juhla - Christmas celebration.
Joulukuu - December.

Hauskaa joulua kaikille - Merry Christmas to all.

Peter P