Re: [tied] greek ethymology of barbar?

From: Shawn Gaffney
Message: 13765
Date: 2002-05-26

I think that the second 'bar' in Greek 'barbaros' is just a normal nominal
reduplication.


Though I dont know of any current works, Brugmann addresses this word in his
section on nominal reduplication. The reduplicatin seems to fit in well with
other Greek and IndoEuropean words that have to do with speaking, either
unintelligably or quietly, which may have been why the Greeks refered to
others as 'barbaros'. These are just guesses though.

Shawn

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