Re: [tied] Re: Eggs from birds and swift horses (was: the palatal s

22-02-2004 19:50, elmeras2000 wrote:

> I *know* there is a *great* danger here. I have experienced many
> episodes where the slightest expression of reservation was enough
> not only to disqualify a well-founded theory, but also to serve as
> the sole basis for accepting anything completely different. I am
> very flattered by your kind words about the solidity of the theory,
> I see or hear that very rarely.

The problem with irrational criticism is that it doesn't really matter
how solid your evidence is or how purist you are about not including any
uncertain material. And who cares, anyway? If a theory really works,
people will slowly come round to accept it. It may appear unfair that
"laws" established on less secure evidence or marred by still
unexplained irregularities (e.g. Winter's Law) are nevertheless
considered kosher by most historical linguists while your infix theory
apparently isn't, but it's neither the first nor the last fine idea to
have been given an undeservedly cold reception. I don't mean to flatter
you, but it's a really well-argued proposal. I accept it, at any rate,
which I suppose gives me a licence for experimenting with it :-)

> Of course you are free to work with the idea and modify it if you
> see fit. The only unbiased objection I have right now is that I yet
> have to see a safe example of o-infix in a different position from
> the one occupied by the full-grade vowel of the root concerned [...]

You yourself give examples of environments (*o-hC-V-, *o-rC-V-) that
prevent the *-o- from appearing in its usual position.

> Advice is not related to throw by any obvious connection,

<boule:> also means 'will, determination, design' etc., and that's close
to various figurative meanings of <ballo:> ('conclude', 'put in mind'
and the like). Cf. the semantics of Latin (-)mitto:.

> and Gk. ple:- is also the result of zero-grade (which Ved. pári:man-
> is not).

True, but where you really _can_ tell the reconstructible pre-Greek full
grade is *pleh1-, not *pelh1- (thus in *pleh1-jos- and *pleh1-isto-, as
well as *pleh1-tu- if Birgit Olsen's theory is correct). *pelh1- is easy
to explain as a secondary full grade to *pl.h1-, eliminating the
awkwardness of the latter's samprasarana status.

> [...] I actually have included this; my finding was that the "o-derivative"
> from *gWyeH3- was PIE *gWiH3w-ó-s 'living'.

How about Slavic *gojI 'welfare, peace' (*gWoih3-o-s)?

Piotr