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

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Rob" <magwich78@...> wrote:

> --- 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?

It's just a gut feeling. 'Pinch' and 'lift' make light of theft. I
don't think theft was taken so lightly that a word of that type would
become the "official" term.


Torsten