Re: Late

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

>
> German <Late>, <Lite> (note odd vowel alternation) "serf(?)", known
> mainly from Lower Saxony, ie Nordwestblock; Medieval Latin

<laetus>,

> thus *lait-, *le:t- (claims Kuhn). He further compares with
> Langobardian (in Latin) <aldius>, <aldio>.

Why Medieval Latin? The term /laetus/ is already attested in Marcus
Aurelius' times. It's of Etruscan origin: in inscriptions we
have /lethe/ 'serf'. The Langobardian item is puzzling and I have no
good explanation for it, but it can very difficult be related with
Latin laetus.

Marco