The e:us suffix, its origin...

From: Joao S. Lopes
Message: 42509
Date: 2005-12-15

I’m trying to understand the origin of Greek suffix –e:us. PIE or Substratum? After lotting a lot of names with such suffix, it seems to be a massive frequency of dentals before the suffix (t,d,th,r,l,s,n), almost no labials, and few velars. Is this a clue for anything?
There’s also a remarkable ausence of theonyms, at least important gods carrying such names.
And eus-names are predominantly formed from root+suffix, a few of them show preffix+root+suffix (cf. Prometheus, Idomeneus).
My first hypothesis for explaining the ausence of –pheus,-beus,-peus is to suppose that –e:us is originally from substratum, < *-ia:u or *-ie:u-. Perhaps labial+i > dental.
Perhaps velar, dental+i >s; labial +i > dental. The few names showing velars and labial could be analogical.
 
-t-
Pro:teus
Aristeus (cf. aristos?)
-d-
Tydeus
-th-
Pittheus
Prome:theus
Epime:theus
-s-
Perseus  (cf. Perse:s : Persephone : Persephatta)
Odysseus
The:seus (cf. The:spis, The:bai)
Briseus
-l-
Pe:leus (cf. Pe:lion)
Oileus
Akhileus
Ne:leus
basileus
Syleus
-r-
Te:reus
-n-
Oineus
Phineus
Idomeneus
-V-
Peiraieus
Typho:eus (cf. Typhon)
-g-
Aigeus (cf. Aigisthos, Aigilia, Aigilips)
-k-
Sykeus <*syke:
Skylakeus
khalkeus “coppersmith” < khalkos
Pythaeus
-ph-
Ke:pheus
 
 


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