João wrote:
> And the Gamkrelidze theories about IE names for "lion", "leopard",
"camel" and "monkey"? I don't agree with these ideas because have
many
zoogeographical problems. There's no monkey nor camel/elephant in
Anatolia. The analysis of Latin leo:, Greek leont- and Slavic levu is
interesting, but I've ever think Latin leo < Greek leon. A word for
"leopard" is geographically plausible, but there's so many languages
to compare.
One must not forget either that in prehistoric times lions had a far
greater range than at present. Assyrian monarchs hunted lions in
Syria. Lions were widespread throughout the Balkans in Mycenaean
times (cf the lion gate at Mycenae), and lions were widespread in
Central Asia and across the steppes in Scythian times.
Regards
John