Re: "stump," "stub," "shortened," "stunted," "blunt"

>Old Norse þefia, East Frisian daven "stomp"

Oh yes, stomp is the better equivalent for Ger. stampfen
(but also for some of the tap(p)-group).

>2 *tap (*tapp-?), *tupp- "pull at, pluck" ("zupfen, zerren")
>O. Fris. tapia, Kiliaen teppen, Dutch toppen, German zupfen

Funny thing: change zupfen to tupfen, which along with or
via Tüpfer(l) and Tupfer has a link to... tampon. :-)

>3. *tapp- *tap-, *tipp- "touch lightly"

That's what tupfen is as well.

>M Low German tappen, Low German tippen, Norwegian tæpa.

Also in High German tippen (e.g. sich an die Stirn, an den Kopf
tippen), and tappen (e.g. in die Falle ("trap") tappen)

>4. *tap-, *tapp-, (*tepp-?) "longish piece of cloth ("Tuchstreifen"),
>band"

[snip]

> OHG tepih, teppich (German Teppich); perhaps related to Greek tápe:s,

via Latin: tap(p)etum > OHG tep(p)ih > MHG tep(p)ich, tebech.

>MHG tæpisch, German täppisch (both in Low German shape)

And in modern Hochdeutsch. The meaning "clumsy, awkward"
because "schwerfällig", with a heavy, awkward gait. Akin to
tapsig. (The opposite, however, to the tap-tap by the "hoofers"
in those dances called stepdances, who are quick, swift,
astute. :-))

>plus in Latin tappo a comical figure

The italian toppolino, too? (I don't know.)

>The "dumb" sense (and that word too is related)
>comes from the old combination non-hearing(dumb)/stupid, ie.
>having stuffed ears

And the way that person moves (big, heavy) - at least in
German.

>Am.Eng. dumb "non-hearing" > "stupid" under the
>influence of German dumm? and Dutch stom "stupid",
>German stumm "non-speaking, mute" (and btw deaf,
>German taub goes here too).

Akin to stumm "mute": stammeln "to stammer" and
stemmen with its initial meanings "to hinder, stop,
hold".

#

>bis hin zu rum. tumba 'Purzelbaum'.

Hehe (and neo-Greek at the same time.)

>Die Herkunft der Sippe ist dunkel, doch
>vermute ich einen Zusammenhang mit aind. tumala- und lat.
>tumultus 'Lärm' (vgl. mhd. tumel und getümel 'Lärm,
>Getümmel'). Den Bedeutungskern bilden Tanz- und
>Akrobatenkünste, und mit ihnen, und das heißt mit dem
>Gauklerwesen, werden die Wörter sich, von einem
>unbekannten Zentrum aus, über die Völker und Sprachen
>ausgebreitet haben (vgl. Gamillscheg, Etym. Wb. d. frz.
>Sprache 2, 852).

Perhaps, in connection to drum/tamburà/tambourine,
Rum. toba, Hung. dob; perhaps these too: Hung. doromb,
Rum. drâmba "Jew's harp".

> Germanischer Ursprung, an den auch gedacht worden ist,
>ist schon daher unwahrscheinlich, weil die Wörter erst nach
>der zweiten Lautverschiebung ins Hochdeutsche gekommen sind."
>Grave games? Tomb on tamped earth?

Gestampft. :-) (cf. pavimentum & pamânt? :))

>cf. the use of studeo: of "backing" or "supporting" a cause (thus
>"pushing" it).

In Rum., to fill a gap, fill/cover/stuff a hole: astupa (astupare).
Destupat (past participle), in a figurative sense, means the
opposite of "stupid" (also keine "Flasche" :-)).

>Torsten

George