[tied] Re: IE thematic presents and the origin of their thematic vo

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@...> wrote:

> > Concerning the semantics, I think there's another possible
> > explanation. We begin from the same starting point: normally, when
> > someone steals something, he literally carries it off. So, one
> > could ask "Who carried it?" (cf. idiomatic English "Who lifted
> > it?"). A ready answer to the question would be "So-and-so is the
> > carrier". From there, it only takes a stigmatic association with
> > the old "carrier" word for it to shift semantically to "thief".
> >
>
> Yes, that seems to be the traditional solution. I'm not convinced.

How not? What are your reservations here?

- Rob