Re: Dacian Sounds Laws - (1) Short Vowels

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "alexandru_mg3" <alexandru_mg3@...>
wrote:

> As you know we can have 'in the same time in the same context' only
> one phonetic rule => please take a look on the twpo supposed below
> rules (one of them for sure is not true)
>
>
> 1. Latin kw/a,o > Rom ca,co /ka,ko/
> ===================================
> I quote here 'the official' etymologies (DEX -> see dexonline.ro)
>
> Rom. ca < Latin quam

...

> On the other hand :
>
>
> 1. Latin kw/a,o > Rom pa,po
> ==========================
> is based on:
>
> 1. Rom. apã < Latin aqua

...

> 4. potârniche > Lat. *perturnicula (< per[dix] + *[co]turnicula) or
> *quo-turnicula

...

> 5. pãresimi < Lat. quadragesima
> Note: In contradiction with Rom. codru if from Lat. quadrum
>
> There are no others supposed Lat qua,quo > Rom. po,pa examples

Three points:

1. The qua/o > ca/o examples are word-initial (plus one phrase where
it is morpheme-initial), while the qua > pa examples are mostly
intervocalic.

2. Unfortunately, irregularities abound. It is just that an etymology
is weaker if it depends on an irregularity. In this case, /kw/ can be
instantly reconceptualised as /k/ or /p/, so the psychological
argument for regularity of sound change does not hold. In this
respect it is similar to the interchange of /k/ and /g/, which can be
distressingly common, or the development of Latin <ae> and <au>, where
a failed sound change merged some of them with /e:/ and /o:/.

3. qua/o > ca/o is overwhelmingly a change in one morpheme,
interrogative/relative /kw/.

Richard.