*o:w(a:), egg(s)

From: Patrick Ryan
Message: 51111
Date: 2008-01-08

I am addressing this question to those on the list who especially are interested in (P)IE phonology.
 
I am led, by various considerations, to hypothesize that the earliest form behind *o:u(a:), egg, was
 
*wawaH(a)
 
With suppression of the laryngeal, this would become *wawa:
 
With the stress-accent, this would become *wowá:
 
To prevent a series of two identical consonants, the initial *w would be dropped, causing compensatory lengthening in the initial  vowel: *o:wa:
 
I am therefore proposing that in this word, the exception to the rule, the initial phone was a vowel rather than a consonant, here a laryngeal (like the, IMHO, mythical *H3).
 
Does this sequence of development make any sense at all in terms of PIE phonology?
 
I am not proposing to argue the case for this only to get interested comments.
 
 
Patrick