The palatal sham :) (Re: [tied] Re: Albanian (1))

From: tgpedersen
Message: 30991
Date: 2004-02-12

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Miguel Carrasquer <mcv@...> wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 12:06:38 +0000, tgpedersen <tgpedersen@...>
> wrote:
>
> >So much for that. I'd like to discuss the idea that supposed PIE
> >plain velars occur only in loans. So, fire away, list some
examples
> >of what you believe to be incontrovertible examples of plain
velars
> >and I'll check with Møller and Bomhard.
>
> *-(i)ko- "diminutive suffix".
>

I saw what Trask had to say; basically that the two suffixes overlap
semanitically only in a small area. But that's to be expected in
languages that are so dramatically different.

A parallel example: some Greenlandic suffix -mik was transferred
into "colonial Danish" in the nineteenfifties (locative?) and ended
up after all kinds of words; the word 'kaffemik' now in Danish means
(meant) "afternoon coffe-and-cake get-together in Greenland". Most
people who used the suffix hadn't the foggiest what it meant
(including me), but that didn't detract from its popularity.

Torsten