Apple

From: grzegorj2000
Message: 40134
Date: 2005-09-19

The proto-word for Eng. apple, Slavic jablUko, Baltic nom. *a:bo:ls,
gen. *a:beles is said to be PIE *H2áp-H3ol-. What could be the
meanings of both parts: *H2ap- and *H3ol-? And were there more such
two-stemmed words in IE?

So, I doubt this etymology just for semantical problems. At the same
time: which is the base for the etymology *amlu in Anatolian? And why
should its genetic relation with "apple" (*ml > *bl) be less probable
than hypothetic *H2áp-H3ol- with unclear etymology and word formation?
And also: why not to count Luwian s^amlu here as well? And if yes,
what about the hypothesis of borrowing, cf. West Caucassian *mlu-,
Kartvelian *was^l- (Georgian vas^l- "apple"), Dravidian *vel.- "water
apple".

And, with another metathesis: Latin ma:lum, Greek me:lon < *maHlo-,
Hittite mahla- "grape-vine" (and maybe Slavic malina "raspberry" also
belongs here).

Isn't it more problable explanation than *H2áp-H3ol-?