Re: PIE word for "people"

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Grzegorz Jagodzinski"
<grzegorj2000@...> wrote:

> Patrick Ryan wrote:

> > You need a course
> > in Fingerspitzengefühl also to complement the "IMPLAUSIBLE SEMANTICS
> > 101" that you obviously have taken.
>
> Polish "chlop": 1) a man, 2) a farmer
>
> Why would anyone think that a "farmer" is "the man"?

To which we can add the word family containing 'boor' and 'Boer'.
'Boor' is a term of address in Norfolk, and its English semantics have
ranged from 'neighbour' to 'ignorant peasant'. _Churl_ has ranged
from 'man' to 'rustic', from 'freeman' to 'serf'.

Of course, 'implausible' does not mean 'impossible' - English _nice_
from Latin _nescius_ 'ignorant' is one case in point.

Richard.