Re: [tied] Green

Dear Peter (and Piotr):

----- Original Message -----
From: "P&G" <petegray@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Green


> >In the case of Latin viridis, the most closely related IE root is
> *w(e)ra:d-
>
> Reconsider. Latin has vireo, to be green or to be vigorous. It is a
> typical -eo stative verb, with the typical deverbative noun form viror.
> Why is this not the base root you are looking for? Pokorny 1133 *weis
> "sprout, grow" explains this fully and adequately.
>
> Typically there is an adjective in -idus associated with these
> statives/deverbatives. It is worth noting that in this case we get viridis
> instead of the expected *viridus, but I don't think we should abandon the
> etymology on that basis.
>
> Peter

<PCR> Oops! Haste makes waste.

While addressing the question of whether *any* language has a form related to *werdh- meaning 'green', I hastily referred to viridis which, as both you and Piotr point out, is much more plausibly related to *weis-.

Any ideas on the origin of the final -i-?


Pat