From: Patrick Ryan
Message: 42677
Date: 2006-01-01
----- Original Message -----
From: "alexandru_mg3" <alexandru_mg3@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2006 5:30 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Etymology of PIE *ph2ter
--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-
language@...> wrote:
>
> Marius:
>
> *pa[:]-tér, 'feeder'
> *má:-ter, 'nurser'
>
> Patrick
>
Yes, the meanings seems obvious from a logical point of view...but
what are the PIE roots implied here? I mean, for 'nurser' and
for 'feeder'?
On my side I have indicated *peh2(i) - to guard, to protect' (that I
have assumed that evolved in 'some' of its derived forms as *peh2-i-
) in possible relation with a (supposed) weak-form: *ph2- (-ter)
Marius
***
Patrick:
Good questions.
Leider müssen wir in die Kinderstube gehen, um die Antwort zu finden.
Here we find *ma:, 'mother'. We could assume that this is reducible no
further except that we find ma:ma:-, 'maternal aunt'. The maternal aunt is
not a (super)mother to the child but rather a substitute 'nurser'. This
brings us to the realization that *ma:- designates the mother not as the
bearer of the child but as its nurser.
The many connections with 'breast' point also in the right direction.
For 'feeder' for father, we have *pa[:]-, 'feed' (*peH2-).
For 'protect' (better 'scare off dangerous creatures', I think), the root is
*po[:]-, or, if you will, *peH3-.
This root is, however, used for 'father' in, possibly, for example, Egyptian
j(t)f, 'father' (but possibly this corresponds rather to PIE *H2ewo-s as
'progenitor'); and probably (almost certainly) in *dMs-peH3-ti-s, 'lord
(protector)'.