Re: [tied] IE numbers

Because assimilation at a distance (like dissimilation) is typically sporadic rather than regular (BTW, what particular Germanic forms do you have in mind?). One could with equal reason ask why *loikW- gives *also* expected *laihW-, or why we have Norse ylgr 'she-wolf'.

Piotr

----- Original Message -----
From: Miguel Carrasquer Vidal

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2001 7:33 PM

Subject: Re: [tied] IE numbers

Agreed about *penkwe > *pempe > fimf. There is also a labial -u in *h2aukw-n- > "oven", but I don't see any assimilatory environment in "liver", "twe-lve" or "sieve". And if wlkwos > wulfaz because of w-, why does *wokw- give Gmc. *wahw-?