--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...>
wrote:
>
> Alexander:
> >Another question - is the IE "red" word a proper IE word (i.e. a
Nostratic
> >heritage) or an early loan (perhaps from Sumerian)?
>
> Not from Sumerian. From a "Semitish" (or a very northerly Semitic)
> substrate. I think that IE *?roudHo- "copper-colour, red" < Mid IE
> *eráud& "copper". I suggested earlier that it was in turn borrowed
> from a Semitish compound. Without knowing exactly the roots in
> question, I can only presume a form like *weri-?árDu- "metal (of)
> earth". This would also be the source of Sumerian /urudu/.
>
> At any rate, any direct contact between Sumerian and IndoEuropeans
> at any date is absurd.
Hello, dear Glen
is everything OK?
The match between Sumerian /urudu/ and IE /*roudh-/ is almost
certainly valid (and I have read about it long time ago), even if
there are some phonetic difficulties.
But, I'm sorry, attempt to derive Sumerian /urudu/ from Afro-Asiatic
are idle and worthless.
I must remember you the true nature of Sumerian language.
/urudu/ has internal matchups: /urum/ "bright thing", /ur/ "bright"
(has nothing to do with its numerous homophones. Even if I don't know
wat's exactly this /-du/ in /urudu/, its etymon from a root /ur-/
denoting brightness is indisputable.
I have read many inconsistence about linking Sumerian items with
something else, due to erroneous analysis of word structure.
Examples: /a/ "water" is not from /ab/ ( /ab/, "ocean", "sea", etc...
is merely a reduction of /aba/ < /ab/ "hole, cavity"
+ /a/ "water"!!!).
Too many proposals are only phantoms of the mind.
Now, I recomend you a deep study of Sumerian, supported by good
vocabularies that can be found on line.
Sincerely
Marco
>
> _________________________________________________________________