On 19.11.2004, at 08:52, Piotr Gasiorowski wrote:
> Getting more and more ad hoc. Very probable? How many similar examples
> of "prothetic <h>" does Romanian show?
Inherited words stemming from the <hora> family:
oarã ['oa-r&] (plur. ori [or<aspiration>], e.g. in <întâia oarã> "(for)
the first time." A reflex of it, the conjunction <ori> "or." As well as
their composita <oare($i)care, oare($i)cine, oare($i)ce, oare($i)cum,
oare($i)cât; ori($i)care, ori($i)cine, ori($i)ce, ori($i)cât>.
[For those interested in modern Romanian: in the "oare-" composita,
<$i>, if included, is practically pronounced [S], in the "ori-"
composita, the <i> is pronounced as well: [Si], and this <$i> builds a
separate syllable. However, the inclusion of the <$i> is obsolete or
regional or for joking & satiric purposes.]
Finally, the plural <ori> [or<aspiration>] has a third meaning, namely
in the regional locution <a-$i veni în ori> "to come to senses," and is
seen as a reflex of Lat. plur. horae, -arum.
> Ever heard about Wanderwörter?
Anyway, the Romanian dictionary isn't heedless of derivations and
transformation rules (such as the disappearance of the [h]), so that it
links Romanian <horã> to Bulgarian <horo> and this one to *Neo*greek
<horos>. [BTW: can anyone tell me wether neoGreek <khoriatiki>
"peasant" or "country salad" (if I ain't wrong) is etymologically also
linked to those ancient words describing circular things?]
[NB: It has been maintained by Israelis emigrated from Romania that it
was they who once brought <hora> to Palestine/Israel. Even if this
might be only an urban legend (I don't know), noteworthy: 'klezmer'
music has strong links to Romanian folklore (esp. from Moldavia and
Maramure$), a fact acknowledged and underlined by various klezmer
combos, incl. US ones.]
> Piotr
George