Re: [tied] *ber-m-

From: Patrick Ryan
Message: 44379
Date: 2006-04-22

 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: tgpedersen
Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 5:50 AM
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [tied] *ber-m-
 


Maybe I should sum up:

In general, root extensions in IE morphology suck. They are added
all over the place, but no one has been able to determine what they
mean. In particular, no one knows what *-m- in *ber-m- means
(assuming we know *ber- meant something connected to 'side of river'
vel sim.).

 

***

Patrick:

 

Your disgust is misplaced. In the vast majority of cases, PIE -*m means either 1) place of . . . ; or 2) activity, and tool to be used in that activity.

The case of *bher-m- is especially transparent.

***