> There's dissimilation in some branches (l>0 or l>n)
> and t>s between l_l (sim. to *pYuLtLos 'very small
> (child/animal) > L pusillus 'very small' but
> analogical (with *pYutLos > pullus) putillus
> 'nestling').
You can find that root or something like it all over western Europa in
the vague general sense of "dirty/women's work". I don't think it's
safe to assign a PIE origin to it.
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/KuhnText/09paut-faulen.html
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/KuhnText/18pun-geschw_r.html
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/KuhnText/22pusl-klein.html
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/KuhnText/23pust-blasen.html
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/tgpedersen/pu.html
Basque mutil "boy" (supposedly from Latin putillo-),
MDa. pusill, Sw.dial. pysil "little boy, fellow"
Da. pusle "nurse; potter about",
Germ. dial posseln, bosseln "potter about"
Da. pog, Scanian påg "boy", cf Engl. puck
Finn. poika, Votyak pi, Vogul püw, "boy", Mordvin pijo (= grandchild)
Est. poiss, -i "boy", poeg "son"
Eng. boy?
Torsten