mutil

From: tgpedersen
Message: 48825
Date: 2007-05-31

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Rick McCallister <gabaroo6958@...> wrote:
>
> I remember Trask saying that mutil came from Latin
> mutilus --because of boys' cropped hair

This is what he said in "The History of Basque":

Basque mutil "boy" < Latin putillu).

He also claims Old Basque p- > Basque m-, and Latin words were loaned
into Old Basque (cf baculum -> makilla "staff").

Ernout-Meillet has mutilus "écorné" ie "de-horned" of cattle. More
likely the sense is here "shorty" or the like.


Torsten