Actually, "fist" is most naturally
analysable as *pnkW-s-ti- > PGmc. *funx(W)sti- > *fu(:)xsti > *fu:sti ~
*fusti > OHG fûst, OE fyst, etc. The presence of *x(W) accounts for the very
early loss of the nasal in West Germanic. The derivation of Slavic *pe~stI
is straightforward (< *pInstI- < *pnksti- < *pnkW-s-ti-).
Also finger < PGmc. *fingra- < PIE
*penkW-ró-. It's very difficult to believe these words have nothing to do with
*penkWe.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 5:21 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Number games [was: the centum-word]
It is interesting to compare the words for "fist", Germanic
*pu:sti-, Slavic *pensti-.