Miguel:
>>During early Late IE, the feminine was unaccented *-&x
>>and the dual was accented *-ax > *-a:.
>
>I can't imagine what that is based on. Nothing, I suppose.
Well if you don't pay attention... Here's the explanation
in two parts. Both phenomena have been discussed
already:
1) the thematic ablaut from *&/*&:
--------------------------------------------------
We already discussed the ablauting vowel that terminates
thematic stems. To explain the oscillation between *e and
*o, we propose a single vowel *& which lengthened before
voiced segments. Thus, *&: becomes *o and *& becomes
*e. Any other explanation is laborious.
The *a in the feminine *-ax is merely the lowered uvular-
affected variant of *e. We find *e because *x (h2) is
unvoiced and it comes from earlier *&. IE *e only derives
from early Late IE *e in cases where previous unstressed
Mid IE *& has been preserved due to Paradigmatic
Resistance (MIE *p&t:as& > *pedas > *pedos) or
Monosyllabic Suffix Resistance (MIE *-na > eLIE *-n& >
*-no-). So we therefore know that *e here is from
earlier *& and not from full unstressed *e because neither
exception applies. And if we don't limit our exceptions
we end up with a complex, convoluted system such
as yours where you reconstruct any vowel you feel
like.
2) Animatization with thematic vowels
----------------------------------------------------
I mentioned a while back that "thematic" suffixes were
created out of "athematic" ones, changing the associated
gender of the suffix in the process to animate instead
of inanimate. We find inanimate *-r beside animate *-or-
and inanimate *-x beside animate *-ax. This has resulted
because of earlier syllabic suffixes *-r and *-x being
extended with an intervening schwa.
As I said above, *& lengthens before voiced segments
and only long *&: becomes *o. This is why we find *-or-
(< *-&:r- < *-&r- due to voiced *r) versus *-ax (< *-&x
due to unvoiced *x).
There is little doubt as to the original form and function
of *-ax as an animate collective, regardless of masculine
or feminine.
The only matter of contention I suppose between you
and I is that I oppose your convoluted *h3. The dual
form is laryngealless *-o:- as far as I'm concerned. I follow
the simple vowel shift rule, that *o derives from earlier *a,
based on vowel system theory. So naturally, *-o:- simply
comes from *a:. And since *-o:u is only found securely
in word-final positions (ignoring the controversy of your
*-ou-s suffix), we can explain *-o:u as being glided in
this final position, ultimately coming from *a: as well.
Not very hard, Miguel. I've seen your explanations and
they're often far more unnatural than what I propose.
= gLeN
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