From: Rob
Message: 33169
Date: 2004-06-08
--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Miguel Carrasquer <mcv@...> wrote:
[snip]
> The plural/dual marker -n (the additional vowel -a or -i is
> automatic after a long vowel) is added *after* the case
> markings -u:, -i: (-a:, -ay).
>
> This is consistent with a pronominal origin (former definite
> article) of the -n marker.
Why wasn't it added also to singular definite nouns?
> I have always maintained that the PIE plural marker *-es/*-s
> is also of pronominal origin, and the atypical ordering
> (case marking - plural sign) possibly confirms this. I'd
> have to look into this more closely.
Yes, it definitely needs more investigation.
> Not if the length is caused by a laryngeal (which I don't
> think it is). I would reconstruct *Hreg-s > *h3re:gs,
> *h3reg-m [analogically re:gem, re:gis, etc., after the
> lengthened nominative]).
All right.
> Other examples are *po:ds "foot", *-wo:ts (ptc.pf.act.),
> *méh1no:ts "month", etc.
Hmm. Concerning Greek pous 'foot,' the orthography indicates that
this was a secondarily lengthened /o/ (that is, after original */o:/
became /O:/). So perhaps the Greek form was earlier pods or pots?
> In normal i-stems the vowel isn't lengthened (the
> lengthening only affects sequences -VC(C)-s).
> Diphthong-stems (-oy-s > -o:y) drop the -s (Skt. sakha:,
> Grk. Sappho:, Hitt. hastai).
Do you agree with Jens as to the process behind lengthening in *-VC
(C)-s sequences?
> Yes. But "name" is a neuter.
All right. So now we have a 3-way distinction:
Animate stressed: *-mén-s
Animate unstressed: *-mon-s
Inanimate (presumably always unstressed): *-mn
Is it safe to assume that in the animate unstressed type, the o-
vocalism of the suffix was preserved due to the presence of *-s?
- Rob