--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-
language@...> wrote:
> Albanian ment, 'suckle', is listed under PIE *mend-, 'suckle', in
Pokorny.
>
> I am wondering if ment could also represent a theoretical PIE *ment
(h)-?
First, the form is mënd with a shwa (Pokorny has many errors in the
details of Alb. forms); -t is word-final hardening; B.Demirai gives
Geg forms with -a-, so it looks like Proto-Albanian *mand-. The most
obvious comparison is perhaps with Lat. mando:, -ere 'chew'. LIV has
a root *metH2- 'crush', i.e. IE *m"t-ná-H2-ti -> *madn- > Lat. mand-
. I do not know what *-tn- would give in Albanian after schwa
secundum, but I do not really find it particularly likely that it
gives -nd- as it does in Latin. This does not really add up to
anything near a safe etymology.
Jens