Re: [tied] Etymology of PIE *ph2ter

> For 'protect' (better 'scare off dangerous creatures', I think), the

root is

> *po[:]-, or, if you will, *peH3-.

No, the root is PIE *pe/oh2(i) 'to protect, to guard' -> for the forms
in o => see PIE *poh2i-men > Lithuanian piemuõ 'sheperd' and Greek
poimé:n 'id'

And interesting construction is also the Armenian *hoviw 'sheperd' <
*h3ewi 'sheep' + *peh2 'to guard, to protect' => "the sheeps'
protecter" => 'the sheperd'

Marius