An IE language spoken in Greece before Hellenic settlement added a
before some consonant clusters beginning a word: *tpelyo- > apellon
'black poplar', *trktro- > atraktos 'spindle', *tlaxa:ns > Atla:s.
Since Deukalion is supposed to come from *dleuk-sxalyo- 'sweet /
freshwater sailor' < *dlukus 'sweet / freshwater' and *sxal 'salt,
seawater' with dissimilation of l-l > 0-l it seems *adluksalyo- >
*OdluksEyo- with dissimilation of l-l > l-0 and umlaut a-u > O-u and
a-y > E-y could explain O:lixe:s / Odusseus / Olutteus in Greek.
The short open O / E could be approximated in G by short o / e or
open O: / E: and eyo > eo > eu (possibly in the original language
first); dl by d or l; ks. > t.s. opt. in the original language (as
rks.a- > Nuristani *i~rt.s. 'bear').
The Noah-like Deukalion and Odusseus' long voyage at sea could be
connected, but a full description will have to wait.
--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Rick McCallister <gabaroo6958@...> wrote:
>
> Did Latin get /d/ > /l/ from Etruscan? I seem to
> remember Etruscan Ulixe for Odysseus. Correct me on
> this. If not, it must have happen very shortly before
> the classical stage
The Latin phenomenon is unconnected to this.