Mind if I tsk-tsk over this one, Miguel? As
far as I'm aware (correct me if I'm wrong), the "polecat" reconstruction *kek^-
is founded upon a root equation (?) between Indic and Baltic. The meaning is
only roughly similar in both branches, and the putative root forms involved are
Skt. kas'- (< *kok^- or *kak^-) vs. Lith. s^es^-/Latvian ses- (< *k^ek^-),
which means that *if* the words are related at all (chance similarity is a
near-certainty in cases where neither the vowels nor the consonants match with
any rigour), neither the Indic nor the Baltic variants reflect
*kek^-.
Piotr
PS Whatever G&I say about PIE root
structure, I wouldn't be surprised in the least to find a simple reduplication
in an animal's name. Examples are aplenty.
P.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 7:05 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Qualitative ablaut - Oy veh, could the case be
more closed already?
So how about *kek^?