[tied] Re: Non-Indo-European in Germanic

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

> and the
> > <-mb> of <thumb> (OE þu:ma) is only orthographic, not

etymological):

Are you sure? The Oxford Etymlogical Dictionary cites plural
_þumbes_ from the 12th centtury, and singular _þoumbe_ from the 13th
century.

> Sorry about the sloppiness. I use a public computer, which means

if I

> get up to verify something, I might have to wait another hour to

get

> access, so sometimes I shoot from the hip. No excuse, of course.

If it's any consolation, we also have _limb_ < OE _lim_ (pl. _limu_)
(no dates for '-mb'). The 'b' in _crumb_ < OE _ cruma_ may well be
totally spurious - not attested until the 16th century.

Richard.