Re: Re[4]: [tied] Re: Mitanni and Matsya

----- Original Message -----

From: Brian M. Scott

To: Patrick Ryan

Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 2:58 PM

Subject: Re[4]: [tied] Re: Mitanni and Matsya

[reformatted according to accepted conventions]

At 3:49:18 PM on Friday, April 4, 2008, Patrick Ryan wrote:

> From: Brian M. Scott<mailto:BMScott@... net>

>> At 10:58:48 AM on Friday, April 4, 2008, Patrick Ryan
>> wrote:

>> [...]

>>> Is Poseidon a god of the sea? Even though his name
>>> contains 'river'?

>> Does it? The last time this was discussed, the conclusion
>> was that while the first element is almost certainly an
>> old vocative of <posis> 'lord', the second cannot be
>> etymologized with any assurance.

> 'lord of the river'

<Brian wrote:>
This is not an answer. What argumentation demonstrates
convincingly that this is preferable to 'lord of the earth',
say?

***

PIE *da:nu-, 'river, has a final -*n-.

PIE **da:-, 'earth', if it exists, does not.

 

Patrick

***