Re: [tied] Tante Qualle

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...>
wrote:

>
> Sergei:
> >Greek (<áspalos> 'fish' < prothetic a- + *skWalos) and Iranian

(Av. <kara->

> >'a mythical fish living in RaNha:-', MPers. <kar ma:hi:k> 'a
> >mythical giant fish') cognates.
>
> Ugh. This drives me round the bend. Are there any _regular_ cognates
> here?
>
> Greek is suspect with the "prothetic" a-, unless one wants to
> reconstruct a very absurd *x(s)kWalo- but then this makes the
> optionality of the *s very arcane. The Avestan word is also

problematic

> because of the unusual rhotacism of expected *l.
>
> None of these supposed "cognates" are regular. They just look

similar.

> Similarity is hardly sufficient evidence. I reject *skWalo-.
>
>
>

That prothetic a- reminds me of Schrijver's 'language of bird names'.
I'll go check.

Torsten