Re: [tied] Re: Rex-Raj-Rix

----- Original Message -----

From: tgpedersen

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 10:17 AM

Subject: [tied] Re: Rex-Raj-Rix

> There's an unaccounted-for /i/ in German 'reichen' (because of Benveniste's idea of the rex as a kind of surveyor, I think it belongs with 'rex'). But even if that were a side form it would only account for a hypothetical **rik-

Ger. reichen and English reach (OE ræ:can) come from *raik-jan-, a West Germanic word without any clear cognates anywhere. A hypothetical pre-Germanic **raig- does not look like a good match for *h3re(:)g^- unless some special scenario (borrowing from an unknown language in which *e(:) was diphthongised?) is assumed, but this is precisely the kind of ad hoc assumption that I don't particularly care for, personally.

 

Piotr