From: João Simões Lopes Filho
Message: 4452
Date: 2000-10-20
*KER(D)MON- Lit s^ermuo (weasel) Germanic *harman (weasel, stoat) Grk kerdos(fox, weasel)
MARTEN < Germanic *marthra-, *marthuz, maybe "bride", like Portuguese doninha and Spanish comadreja (weasel), litterally "little lady"
Joao SL
----- Original Message -----From: Piotr GasiorowskiSent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 10:35 PMSubject: Re: [tied] PIE mustelids and sealsVery quickly:Ferret derives from a diminutive of Latin fu:r 'thief'Polecat is a late word = 'hen-cat' (cf. French poule)Slavic *tUxorI 'polecat' may have to do with stinking, like any other mustelid names.Otter is *udra:x/*udros in several branchesWeasel is a derivative of *wiso- 'stench, poison'Martes (Latin 'marten') was a loan from Germanic, probably < *(s)merd- 'stink'Greek iktid- 'marten' is interesting. The i is prothetic, and the original stem was ktid-; it looks old but I can't think of convincing cognates. Galee: 'weasel, polecat, ferret' may be an ancient name for something small and furry (cf. Latin gli:s 'dormouse').Piotr----- Original Message -----From: João Simões Lopes FilhoSent: Friday, October 20, 2000 12:16 AMSubject: [tied] PIE mustelids and sealsIs there PIE names forweasel (Mustela nivalis and alike) ?stoat (Mustela erminea) ?mink (Lutreola lutreola) ?badger (already discussed) *tasku-/tazgu-marten (Martes spp.) ?polecat / ferret (Putorius putorius & Putorius eversmanni)"?otter (Lutra lutra) *udrosseal (Phoca spp.) ?Joao SLRio