On 2007-03-10 19:16, alexandru_mg3 wrote:
> Piotr, could you find counter-examples in Latin similar
> with /h1rom.hu.los/ (accented on u) but with no lengthening?
Such a formation doesn't exist in the first place, Words in -ul- are
generally diminutives (like <rotula> 'little wheel' from <rota>). The
old shape of the suffix was *-elo- (see cognates in other languages); *l
in this position gave Latin dark /l/ ("L pinguis"), which coloured the
preceding *e to /u/ after a consonant and to /o/ after a vowel (e.g.
<filiolus>). I don't think Ro:ma was named after Ro:mulus. More likely,
the name of the eponymous founder was invented a posteriori and formed
from the name of the city -- a rather common "explanation" of place-names.
Piotr