Re: [tied] Re: Indo-European Linguistics: Backwards

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

From: Richard Wordingham

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 5:56 AM

Subject: [tied] Re: Indo-European Linguistics: Backwards

 

<snip>

*kWekWlos 'wheel' is a difficult word.  The Indo-European, Semitic
(stem _glgl_) and Sumerian (_gi(r)gir_) words for 'wheel' are very
similar and all  feel like native formations rather than loanwords.
However there similarity seems to be an outrageous coincidence.
Presumably at most one is truly native, and the others reflect
nativising folk etymology.

 

***

Patrick writes:

 

Almost incredibly, I think they are  all formally unrelated, even through borrowing.

 

*kWekWlos is, I believe, a reduplication of *kWel-, 'curl around', and refers to a 'wheel rim', suggesting spoked wheels. *kWel- can be seen in Egyptian šnj, 'encircle', and Sumerian hil, 'ring'.

 

Sumerian gi(r)gir is 'wickerwork wagon basket' rather than 'wheel'; related words: Egyptian k3k3, '(tangled) brush; IE *g^er- in *g^ers-, 'turn, bend', also of twig and brushwork; cf. Gk. gérron, 'pannier'.

 

Semitic glgl is a reduplication of Hamito-Semitic *gol-, 'be round, go around'