--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Annew <annew@...> wrote:
> Could Latin felis, felix, 'cat' have any possible relationship to
the
> word 'flex'?
*****
Subject to correction by more knowledgeable members of Cybalist,
I'll say no.
'Fe:les' or 'fe:lis', whatever small carnivore it originally
referred to (a related word means "marten" in Welsh as I remember)
has a long e. An etymology has been suggested, right or wrong,
deriving it from the IE *dhe- root of "female" etc., which would
make Latin 'felis' "cat" and 'felix' "fruitful" related
words. 'Flecto' and 'flexus' have a short e. The ultimate root
appears uncertain, but would be something that wouldn't also give
rise to fe:les.
Dan