Re: Other IE language with /w/

From: tgpedersen
Message: 41473
Date: 2005-10-18

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Miguel Carrasquer <mcv@...> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 17 Oct 2005 09:33:08 +0000, tgpedersen
> <tgpedersen@...> wrote:
>
> >BTW, what's the situation with f, v, and w in Afrikaans?
>
> I'm not sure. Initial v- is [f], but medial -<v>- has
> apparently merged with -<w>- (leven = lewe, wolven = wolwe).
> After a consonant, <w> is [w] (swem [swEm]), but it's [v]
> otherwise.
>

Some North Scanian / Halland dialects have something similar: sw-, dw-
, but v- otherwise. This is from original /w/-everywhere, it wouldn't
take much faith to assume the same for Dutch at some earlier stage.

Torsten