Re: Let's forget *pu:tium

In languages all over the world, roots related to *p(e)u/u:- are used in a sexual context for the genitals of men and women.

In my opinion, these all ultimately refer to the odor that could be expected from the genitals of humans who washed infrequently; and were unable to clean themselves as, for instance, most animals can and do.

Patrick Ryan

----- Original Message -----

From: Piotr Gasiorowski

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 5:47 PM

Subject: Re: [tied] Re: Let's forget *pu:tium

On 2008-01-21 23:51, alexandru_mg3 wrote:

> 'Your' supposed *pu:tium will be the SINGLE EXCEPTION:
>
> ============ ========= ========= ========= ==
> Latin *pu:tium > Rom. FEMININ put,&
> ============ ========= ========= ========= ==

Not so quickly. <prae-pu:tium> is a prepositional governing compound.
The final *-io- characterises such compounds, but not their members in
isolation. Cf.

<cla:vus> (m.) 'purple stripe on the tunica' --> <prae-clav-ium> (n.)
'the part of the tunica before the stripe',

<grex> (f.) 'flock, herd' --> <e:-greg-ius> (adj.) 'chosen from a great
number, distinguished' ,

<furnus> 'oven' --> <prae-furnium> 'the opening of a furnace'.

<prae-pu:tium> PRESUPPOSES some (presumably slangy) Latin word of the
form <pu:t-X> and with the likely meaning 'penis'. We have no idea what
the actual stem-forming element was or what gender it marked, although
the existence of the word is GUARANTEED by the existence of
<praepu:tium> . In fact, it may well have been something like *pu:tia.

Piotr