Re: [tied] Re: Singulative

----- Original Message -----

From: elmeras2000

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 11:25 AM

Subject: [tied] Re: Singulative

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@......> wrote:
>
> So, I found the quote:
> G & I p 246 note 17.
> "According to Knobloch (1955:213, 1958:240), there is evidence for a
> former collective meaning of Greek guné: < *gW(e)na: in
> the 'singulative' formations such as gunaikós (with a suffix *-k- of
> the same type as in Avent. pasuka- "domestic animal", cf. pasu-
>  "livestock")."
>
> I need a Greek course. On the other hand, my original idea that the
> -k- suffix of Nordwestblock words was singulative seems to hold.

I would like to suggest, Martinet-style, that the suffix *-iko- is
from *-iH2H2-o-, representing a thematicized derivative from a
collective *-e-H2 with gemination of the laryngeal. Singulatives are
not seldom marked by gemination. That, however, does not explain the
aberrant paradigm of guné:, gunaikós, which, to me at least, remains
enigmatic.

PCR:

 

I firmly believe that derivational and inflectional elements were not created ex nihilo but merely represent grammatical uses of words which once had concrete meanings.

 

For example, the dative in -*(e)i is nothing more mysterious than a grammatical use of *Hei-.

 

While the grammatical use of -*(i)-Ha to form collectives and feminines is acknowledged by all, no one, to my knowledge, has ever demonstrated *-Ha as a formant of diminutives.

 

I am not aware of examples of singulatives marked by gemination. Could you give an example or two?

 

On the other hand, we have *3. ken-, 'said of animal and human young'. This, in my opinion, represents a pre-PIE compound of *k(W)e, 'young' + -n, 'one'

 

We can probably see it again in *2. ker-, 'grow', which corresponds to Egyptian T3, 'child'.

 

Patrick



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