Re: [tied] Wolves and foxes

So, vulpes < *vulpex?
-e:s appears in some Latin zoonyms: me:le:s (badger, marten), cane:s (dog),
fe:le:s and vulpe:s (fox)
vulpe:s is akin to Lithuanian vilpis^is "wild cat" (<*wLpik^i-) . What is
the etymological origin of this -e:s ending? In cane:s (besides canis), seem
to be an extension of a athematic root *can.


ps: PIE might have been a name for the Old World Wild Cat (Felis
sylvestris), common at the whole Paleartic Eurasia.

Joao SL
Rio

----- Original Message -----
From: Piotr Gasiorowski <piotr.gasiorowski@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 2:01 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Wolves and foxes



----- Original Message -----
From: "João Simões Lopes Filho" <jodan99@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 1:01 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Wolves and foxes


1) Perhaps -x in alopex was a later innovation, alo:pe:ks < *alo:pe:s <
*alo:pe:s- ?

2) Gk. aló:pe:ks, Skt. lopa:s'á- 'jackal', Iranian *raupasa-, Arm. aLue:s
*(h2)loupe:s- or *(h2)laWope:s- or *(h2)laWope:k^-

3) Pre-Latin *olupe:s- > *ulpe:s > *vulpe:s ?


But all non-Latin evidence points to *k^. Loss in one branch (explicable via
the Latin diminutive) is more likely than a conspiracy of innovations. If
anything is certain in this word, it's the *-pek^- part.

Piotr




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