Re: Stative Verbs, or Perfect Tense

I am aware that the perfect/stative forms came to be used as a
simple past tense in Sanskrit and Germanic. But the Germanic
preterite-present verbs are a clear example of perfect/stative forms
being used with present meaning (some of which, Sihler says, could
be understood as arising from completed past action, but he points
out, as I believe you did as well, that any present tense verb could
be so analyzed). I guess much will remain a mystery in IE
linguistics.

------------------------------------------------------------

As far as I know, at least some of the Germanic preterite-presents
are a reinterpretation of the basic meaning of a verb with preterite
meaning, and cannot be given as evidense for an original present
meaning of the perfect.

The classical example is the verb to know. Scandinavian vet/veit -
knows. This is actully a reinterpretation of the indoeuropean
perfect form (we)woid-e - meaning "have seen". Actually, the
original meaning was the past tense of a verb (have seen/saw) that
implied the present tense of another state/action (knows).