--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "alexandru_mg3" <alexandru_mg3@...>
wrote:
>
> >Intervocalic <b> or <v> may disappear in Balkan Romance, as a well
> >known evolution
>
> If this evolution is so 'well known on your side', maybe you could
> explain us why the intervocalic b in Romanian abur (<->Alb. avull) is
> still there? :)
Doesn't this point to a pre-Albanian *abull? (I'm not sure of the
spelling - will Piotr's lecture series on Albanian ever resume?)
As far as I'm aware, the merger of intervocalic Latin <b> and <v> as a
/v/ prone to loss is a Proto-Romance development. While Romanian
_abur_ 'steam' has some resemblance to Latin _vapor_, tempting one to
propose p > b by false analogy with _boare_ 'breeze', I don't think
there's a direct connection with Lain _vapor_. From Latin _vapor_ I'd
predict *vap; from the accusative I'd predict *vapoare, though an
analogical neuter plural *vapuri would have been plausible. _abur_ is
masculine.
Pre-Albanian *abull itself has one major problem - shouldn't the /b/
have dropped?
Richard.