--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "david_russell_watson"
<liberty@...> wrote:
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-
language@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > Well, you can speak philosophically about what the function
> > of a 'brother' in early societies might have been, and who
> > can refute your speculations?
>
> You asked "What, pray tell, did the primeval son 'carry'?",
> so I explained how the brother word was actually supposed
> by some to be connected to *bher-.
>
> > But the form of the word argues against a derivation from
> > *bher-. Where would the *a: have come from?
>
> No idea. Until today I'd never had any thought one way or
> another on the origin of the brother word. Although after
> seeing your "penis - bright - bright - make" explanation
> for 'brother', and "pair of breasts - bright - bright -
> make" explanation for 'sister', I have to say I'm suddenly
> very much on the side of a connection to *bher-.
>
The following is from msg 48 by Frédéric Plessis in the Yahoo
group 'austronesian', members only, so I copy it here:
"
"After studying Frederic Plessis' charts, I find one major
reservation regarding the typology: It does not consider the "zero-
term" case at all. This case, in fact, does exist and, for Borneo,
concern mostly the Kenyah isolects." (B.Sellato)
Dear Bernard, you are right. I shoud have included the zero-case in
my typology . I've hesitated a long time to include this type in my
charts, but I didn't consider it was relevant for the reconstruction
of affinal terms. It is obvious that PMP had at least one term for
sibling-in-law and we should therefore consider the zero-case as a
result of assimilation :
affinal [sibling-in-law] --> consanguineal [collateral [cousin] -->
lineal [sibling]]
As previously mentioned, *sabay is probably related to the form
*sabay "cooperate, work together" reconstructed by Mills (1981).
Mills (R.F)
1981 "Additional addenda". in Historical linguistics in Indonesia I,
Blust (R) ed. NUSA 10 : 59-82.
Zorc (1994) proposes the reconstruction of *bayaw "brother-in-law"
in Proto-Philippine. This term is probably cognate with Proto-
Central-Cordilleran *bayaw "peace-pact between 2 villages".
"Reflexes of *langu have an even more restricted distribution, being
confined
to Borneo so far as I am aware." (R.A Blust)
In his dictionary of Atayal, Egerod gives the following form :
Atayal. iangu' husband's younger sister = HyZ ;
younger brother's wife (woman speaking) = yBW (w.s)
Other possible reflexes of **angu are found in some languages of
Sumba with the meaning "fellow", but I am not sure of the validity
of this reconstruction.
*hipaR
The striking parallel between (1) *hipaR "sibling-in-law" and (2)
*hipaR "opposite side of a river" is a strong evidence that PMP
society had moieties (*baliw). This also confirms what Blust (1980 :
226) suggested in 1980 :
"It thus seems likely that the dual divisions of Proto-Malayo-
Polynesian society were at least traditionally, if not physically,
associated with settlements on either side of a river." Blust
(1980 : 226)
Blust (R.A)
1980 "Notes on Proto-Malayo-Polynesian phratry dualism ".BKI 136 :
215-247.
(1) *hipaR "sibling-in-law (same-sex)" (Blust ACD)
Tambunan Dusun tipAg WB, HB, ZH
Labuk Kadazan ipag WB, ZH (m.s)
Makiang ipag WB, ZH (m.s)
Iban ipar SpSib, SibSp
Palawan ipag WZ, BW (m.s), HZ, HB, ZH (w.s), BW (w.s)
Lamboya ipa HZ, BW (w.s)
Keo occidental ipa WZ, WBW, BW,
Keo oriental ipa BW (m.s), WBW,
(2) *hipaR "opposite side of a river" (Blust ACD)
Mansaka dipag "other side, opposite side"
Manobo dehipag "the opposite side of a canyon or valley"
Tiruray difar "the other side, in the sense of the side facing the
speaker"
'ifar "to cross over to the other side (as of a river or street)"
se'ifar tamuk "to negotiate formally the terms of a brideprice"
Mukah dipah "opposite bank of a river"
Kayan (Baluy) dipah "opposite bank of a river"
Kelabit dipar "opposite side"
Uma Juman dipah "either of the sides of a river"
Table 1 : reflexes of *hipaR in various regions
Philippines *hipaR WZ, BW (m.s), HZ, BW (w.s) f -> f , m <-> f
Bornéo *ipaR WB , ZH (m.s) m -> m
Sumba *ipa HZ , BW (w.s) f -> f
Flores *ipaR HZ , BW (w.s) , WZ , ZH (w.s) ? f -> f , m <-> f
POC *ipa(R) HB , WB m <-> f
"
Compare with my own dabblings:
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/Opr.html
(note the Benviste quote (search for 'IELS', and the Malayan set of
examples ('NMNW')).
for additional material
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/Op.html
Torsten