Re: [tied] greek basyleus

----- Original Message -----
From: "Piotr Gasiorowski" <piotr.gasiorowski@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] greek basyleus


One fundamental objection is that the assumption of a Getic
prototype explains "obscurum per obscurius", and thus
effectively fails to explain anything. Which particular known
Getic word could have been the source? The extra difficulty is
that we have Myc. qa-si-re-u- (*gWasileus) about a thousand
years before the Getae are first mentioned. How would Russu,
or anyone else, have known what Proto-Getic was like so early
if Getic itself is known only from a handful of words?

As for the etymology of *gWasileus, it's customary to regard
it as a "Pelasgian" loan merely because no IE etymology
appears convincing enough. But note Peter's comment, earlier
today, about <tHálatta/tHálassa>, which _might_ be IE as
regards its structure if only some plausible cognates could be
suggested. The suffix <-eús> (indicating agency or
instrumentality, among other things) is quite common in
Mycenaean: <ka-ke-u> (*kHalkeus) 'coppersmith', <ke-ra-me-u>
(*kerameus) 'potter', <i-je-re-u> (*hiereus) 'priest', etc.
*gWasileus would fit into this patter if we only knew how to
interpret **gWasilo- (< **gWatilo-?) in Greek or non-Greek
terms.

Piotr


[Moeller]
this is why I asked. I was very dissatisfied because there was
no reference in what he said which is unlikely for him. He
just mentions this in the "Ethnogenesis of romanians " year
1981, page 77 only one reference to reference.He gives is :
"see StCl, VII 1965, p. 109-117"
I took a look and I learn as fallow:
Stcl= Studii Clasice Bucuresti .
I dont have this one periodical and I dont know how quick I
can get it. I have to see how I get someone to the archive in
Bucharest for taking a look in and to send me the material
from there.

Regarding *gWasileus I should say Vinereanu's rule will work
here too regarding gW> b in getic, but we miss the supposed
word. Now I am indeed very courious, I tought you know it.
Grrrrrrr.... today is Sunday and I cannot call none to go now
to Bibliotheck of Academy in Bucharest to take a look for me..
ufff ( Is a bad habbit of me that I do not have patience:(()