> We also have here 'a strange similarity' with the 'brother'-root
> something like : "ba-tr" => "bra-tr" (or vice-versa)
I remember that once, Piotr requested a discussion on the original
meanings of PIE terms like 'father' 'mother' 'brother' 'sister'
etc...
On my side I advance 'a little bit' (not to say 'not at all') ...but
trying to start....I would explain 'father's PIE etymology' as 'the
Protector (of the house/of the family)'
First (the most sure part) the PIE suffix *-ter indicates 'the
Agent' on the pattern: '<<X-action>>-ter' => 'the Agent that
performs the action-X'
Next, I would linked *ph2- of 'father' to PIE *peh2i- "to guard, to
protect, to graze, to feed" => please don't expect a 'perfect
match' both words evolved on 'different directions' (peh2-i- ; ph2-
ter) from Early PIE times or even before....we need to start only
from an 'initial' root *peh2-/*ph2- here...
A good argument here would be that both roots have a 'full-
extension' ('full-extension' = 'appears in almost all IE-
Languages'): if a 'derived-word' as 'father' is, has a 'full-
extension' in 'IE-World' => we need of course a main-root that
have 'at least' a similar 'full-extension'...(PIE *peh2i is ok, from
this point of view).
So PIE *ph2ter < *ph2-ter 'The Agent of 'to guard, to protect'-
Action => 'the Protector, the Guard-'er' (of the whole family/clan
=> I added also the 'implicit/invisible' context here :))
Happy New Year,
Marius
P.S. And in this case PIE *meh2ter 'mother' represents "The Agent"
of a *m???-action:
Pokorny ma:-2 root: 'good, good time, have a good time' would supply
a 'great masculine etymology':
PIE *meh2-ter => "The Agent, the Generator of 'to-have-a-good-time'-
Action"
(please take it as a joke :), even is a valid possibility...isn't
it? :) )
Happy New Year,
Marius