Re: [tied] -phóros, -phorós, -fer

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Piotr Gasiorowski <gpiotr@...> wrote:

>
> On 2006-04-06 17:00, Abdullah Konushevci wrote:
>
> > But, what about <mirus, -a, -um> 'strange, special, marvellous' or
> > <carus, -a, -um> 'loved' ? I guess that in this case we have much

more

> > to do with the reduction of first or second element of compound.
>
> The rule is conditioned by syllable structure and phonological weight.
> In terms comprehensible to lay people it is as follows:
>
> Syncope takes place if:
>
> (1) *-ros is preceded by a consonant (*sakros > sacer, with -er from a
> secondary syllabic rhotic),
>
> (2) *-ros is preceded by a short vowel in a word of three or more
> syllables (*fru:giforos > fru:gifer, with analogical /e/; *pueros >
> puer; vesperos > vesper, etc.),

Is the /e/ really analogical in _fru:gifer_? Couldn't it be part of
the normal reduction of non-initial short vowels in Latin? That is,
*fru:giforos > *fru:gifors > *fru:gifers > fru:gifer?

> [note that your examples don't meet either condition; nor do
> <ferus>, <since:rus>, etc.]
>
> (3) exceptionally in <vir>.

What would cause such an exception?

- Rob