Re: Rom. TâTã (breast)

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "m_iacomi" <m_iacomi@...> wrote:

> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Wordingham" wrote:
>
> > What does Latin *_tit(t)ia_ explain?
>
> It explains Romanian form; Italian "tetta" is seen as deriving

from

> Latin "titta(m)" (`nipple, teat`, given as such by Italian

linguists)

> probably also French "tette" (which is usually seen as deriving

from

> a Germanic "*titta"). The Latin word could be a loan from Germanic
> but as well a childish onomatopoeic word, very general

(Catalan "teta"

> is given as such: "d'origen expressiu infantil"). My guess is that
> the word is a perfect candidate for childish language.
> Romanian "TâTã" has a childish conterpart /TiTi/ which can be seen
> also as plural, but has had without any doubt influenced the

phonetic

> story of the word (that is: no need of Latin "*tit[t]ia" when

having

> "titta", then by childish assimillation one generates the

second /T/).

Western Romance requires a short vowel, Eastern requires a long
vowel.

> Stressed /i/ > /1/ (written "â") after /T/,

Thanks, this was the rule I was looking for. I had been wondering
if it were due to /T/ before and after.

> ...no mistery on this either.

Apart from how Miguel came to overlook it in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/18147>!

What are the regular exceptions? It doesn't occur in _Tine_ 'holds,
to hold' or _infrãTire_.

Richard.