Re: Burushaski

From: stlatos
Message: 53702
Date: 2008-02-19

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Mate Kapoviæ <mkapovic@...> wrote:
>
> On Uto, veljaèa 19, 2008 9:19 am, stlatos wrote:

> > I've just begun looking at Burushaski and it is obviously an
> > Indo-European language
> > closely related to other Indo-Iranian languages and Armenian (like Khowar,
> > Nuristani
> > languages, etc.) in every vocabulary group. Why hasn't this been seen
> > before and
> > acknowledged?
>
> Be kind and cite some examples so that we can all see this "obvious"
> relation...


A few of these are slightly uncertain, but if I must, then, like Arm.:


-n in many singular forms (below)


Br. retains 'laryngeals' as h-, but doesn't vocalize them before a sonorant

*xWoinos, -kos > hen, hek 'one'

*xne:r > *hri:r > hir 'man'; Arm. ayr

*xYnYewn, > hunti '9'; Arm. inn

*xYekYwos > *hargW > haGor 'horse'

> *GLoup(e)xYkY+ > hal halj- 'fox', Arm. alue:s


Changes p>f, f>v>w between V, f>xW>h, but only before +back

*pr,xWmos > *farwaz > *xWalw > hawel 'foremost'

*putLos > *fusLaz > *xWusl > hales, dulas 'boy' (d- < dasen 'girl')

> *GLoup(e)xYkY+ > hal halj^- 'fox', Arm. alue:s


Changes w>gW>g in most positions

*xYekYwos > *hargW > haGor 'horse'

*wikYpotis > gus^pur '~ prince'

*yuu-wn-ka:x > yugus 'daughter' (prob. borrowed)


sw > sw0 > skW > sk

*swekYuros > *skWekWuraz > *skkur > -skir 'father-in-law'

*swekYru:x > *skWes^ru: > *sksu > -skus 'mother-in-law'


xw > xw0H> kWH > kH

*gW(e)lxwa:n > *gWalkWHa:n assim.> kHakHa:y 'walnut'

(the W-w dissimilates to W-y in Baltic, to W-0 in most)


after another word, pronouns with t>', then '>d initially in Arm., but '>0 in

*tu: > *'u: > un 'thou'

*twe- > *'we- > *gWa- > go-


but instead of dw > rk, dw > rt > lt (other r > l below)

*dwo:xW > *rwo: > alto '2', Arm. erku

*kWetwo:r > *kwerwo: > walto '4'


Turns gW > gw (so not pal'ized) before front, but others also

*gWenxik- > *gwenx,kY- > gus 'woman', Arm. kin

*kWetwo:r > *kwerwo: > walto '4'

*kWe > *kwe > ka 'and' (prob. kw- > w or k depending on if preceded by V)


Turns pal. K > affricates:

*dhugYH-x-te:r > *dukYtr- > dasen 'girl'

*(xa)xkYro-? > *akYHra-? > c^Har 'rock'

*gWenxik- > *gwenx,kY- > gus 'woman', Arm. kin

> *GLoup(e)xYkY+ > hal halj^- 'fox', Arm. alue:s


Turns middle ik>kY>c^

*gWenxa:x
*gWenxik- > *gwenx,kY- > gus 'woman', Arm. kin

*morma:x
*mormik- > *mormkY- > *morc^m- > Arm. murjm- 'ant'


But before affrication, kYu > kWu

*pelekYus 'stone ax' > baluqa 'stone (in game)'

*swekYuros > *skWekWuraz > *skkur > -skir 'father-in-law'


and secondary kYu > ru

*dekYm, > *dakYum > torum 'ten'; Arm. tasn

as well as kYw (sim. to lkYw>lrw in Greek *pelkYw- > *pelrw- > pleuron)

*xYekYwos > *hargW > haGor 'horse'


but original r > l in most positions beforehand

*gWHer- > Gul- 'burn'

*der-, del-? 'flay, split, hew' > del- 'hit'

*pr,xWmos > *farwaz > *xWalw > hawel 'foremost'

*bher- > balda 'load' (borrowed?)

*dhworu > bal 'door' (borrowed?)


so too original L > l

*meLit > *malit > mel 'wine'

*putLos > *fusLaz > *xWusl > hales, dulas 'boy' (d- < dasen 'girl')

> *GLoup(e)xYkY+ > hal halj^- 'fox', Arm. alue:s


though L > lt before s > s. after K/T.

*paLiso/paLsyo- > *palts.az > *balts. > baltas. 'stone thrown at someone'


and L > t by x()

*meL-x-nos 'dirty' > matum 'black'

*xal-x-mLos 'fruit' > *-bLos > *bal-x-Los > balt 'apple'

(from dim. of *xal-x-mos xl-x-m(e)- 'tree > elm')


possibly also:

*gYHeL-xW-nos > *gWHet-xW-nos > *gwets.naz > *gats.in > Gendes. 'gold'


If L>tl / t seems odd, remember that lt is very common, often with l voiceless, and might
be a phoneme itself.


There's much more, but this is enough for now.