On 2007-02-16 21:05, tgpedersen wrote:
> Aha. So it's something you strap on to a thematic stem. That was my
> question. Next question: what's the use of a h3 behind a vowel which
> stays /o/? Is it necessary?
Yes, because the Hoffmann element can also be added to other
(non-thematic) types of stems, and in such cases the *h3 may be visible.
One classical example is *h2jú-h3o:n 'young', gen. *h2jú-h3n-os (Ved.
yúva:, gen. yú:nas, where the lengthening is due to the laryngeal), or
Gk. huio:nós 'grandson' < *suh1ju-h3n-ó-, a thematised derivative in
which the "laryngeal breaking" of *uh3 > *wo: betrays the identity of
the laryngeal, or *h2ab-h3ó:n 'river', where the voicing of etymological
*p is attributed to the influence of *h3 (as in *pí-bh3-e/o- 'drink').
Piotr