Re: [tied] Latin ibex akin to Portuguese bezerro?

On 05-01-14 14:51, Joao wrote:

> In a nice book about Portuguese etymology I've just bought, there's a
> chapter about Pre-Roman Iberian words. Its stated that Portuguese
> bezerro "calf" < Pre-Roman *ibik/irru, same root as Latin ibex, both
> from a Pre-Roman root *ibik-, meaning "kid". Is it plausible?

Hard to say without investigating the matter further. I think the
earliest (and only?) Classical source that mentions the ibex by name is
Pliny the Elder, and although I'd think the Alpine species would have
been more familiar to him, such words do wander about a lot. While we're
at it, does anyone know where Sp. bucardo 'Spanish ibex' comes from?
(The poor thing, by the way, died out just five years ago.)

Piotr