Re: Nantu

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "fournet.arnaud" <fournet.arnaud@...>
wrote:

>
> Specifically, *nanto- could be from *nm-to-. And a
> valley is a kind of bend in the earth's contour.
> ==========
> A.F :
> It is *nantu-
> FRench city : Nantua < *nantu-a in the Alps.
> How can *nantu be derived from *nm-to- ?
> Please explain phonetic details.

There's nothing unexpected about it.

The syllabic nasals, *n. and *m. develop into *an, *am in Celtic. The
assimilation mt > nt is also as expected, cf. *k'm.to- > *kanto-
'hundred'.

nantu- seems perfectly acceptable as a Celtic word. It occurs in
British Celtic as well (W, Bret. nant, OCorn. nans).

Anders