Re: [tied] alb. gji (breast) - maybe PIE *sei-N-

----- Original Message -----
From: <a96_aeu@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 10:02 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] alb. gji (breast) - maybe PIE *sei-N-


> Why not deriving from PIE *sei-N- 'to be damp, to drip' like Alb.
gjizë 'curd' is supposed to come from ?

> You have actually rebuilt gji as *sein-.

Semantic considerations. As I said, <sinus> accounts elegantly for both meanings in Albanian, while you'd need two leaps of faith to get from 'be damp, drip' to 'breast, bosom' on the one hand, and to 'gulf' on the other. Then, Rom. sân (sîn) 'bosom' looks to close to be ignored.

Piotr