--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Rick McCallister <gabaroo6958@...> wrote:
>
> I remember Trask saying that mutil came from Latin
> mutilus --because of boys' cropped hair
This is what he said in "The History of Basque":
Basque mutil "boy" < Latin putillu).
He also claims Old Basque p- > Basque m-, and Latin words were loaned
into Old Basque (cf baculum -> makilla "staff").
Ernout-Meillet has mutilus "écorné" ie "de-horned" of cattle. More
likely the sense is here "shorty" or the like.
Torsten