Re: [tied] The 'lamb' word [Was: Re: Mi- and hi-conjugation in Germ

On 05-03-23 11:36, pielewe wrote:

>>evidence. The initial *o reflects neither *a nor *a:, (...)

> Dybo attributes the initial vowel to the influence of the word
> meaning 'sheep'. Is that a plausible kind of change, in your view?

It's a frequently repeated explanation, but doesn't it sound a bit
desperate? Contamination usually occurs when there is a vague formal
resemblance between words with similar meanings -- an apparent link that
can be strengthened. Would *(H)agWno- and *(H)owi- have sufficiently
resembled each other to invite folk-etymological distortion?

Piotr