PIE 'inflected' Compounds

I think we have analyzed Lithuanian <baidýti>, 'scare', as far as we can.

Now may be the time for me to focus on the question that, for me, at least,
stimulated the discussion.

In Noun+Verb combinations, typically we see zero-grade in the Noun and
full-grade in the Verb: *mendh- (better: *mN(s)-dhé:(H)-), 'put the mind
(acc.) to', composed of *men(o)(s)- and *dhe:(H)-.

In the combination *k^(h)er(e)d- + *dhe:(H)-, 'heart' + 'put' = 'believe',
we can interpret the phrase as 'put heart (acc.) into'.

I am indicating an aspirated voiceless stop for extra-PIE etymological
reasons.

If it patterned like *mN(s)-dhé:(H)-, we would expect **k^(h)Rd-dhé:(H)-

but what we actually find is *k^(h)red-dhé:(H)-, neither a full-grade nor a
zero-grade.

Piotr originated the proposal that this discrepancy could be explained by
regarding *k^(h)(e)réd- as a locative of *k^(h)ér(e)d-, and suggesting the
phrase be re-interpreted as 'put (something) into the heart'.

I believe this suggestion has great merit; and I propose that we can find
another example of such a locative in *bhoi-dhe:(H)-, 'put (someone) in
fear', 'scare'.

After much discussion of metathesis and other considerations, I presently
believe the best reconstruction of 'be afraid' is *bhó:(H)(e)y-.

From this, we would expect zero-grade *bh&y-, a form mentioned by Pokorny as
*bh&i-.

If we regard *bhoi- as a possible locative, we would anticipate an earlier
**bho(H)éy- or **bho(H)í-, from both of which *bhoi-dhé:(H)- could naturally
arise.

Therefore, I believe this is the likeliest explanation for the strangely
missing zero-grade of the word in the compound.

Whether this explanation is correct or not plays no part in my main
linguistic interests; for me, and I hope for all of you, it is purely an
intellectual enterprise.

Along the way, Miguel mentioned that he believed PIE *dhe:(H)- had the wider
meaning of 'make, do' as developed in Germanic languages; I reject this
suggestion categorically. If we cannot interpret PIE *dhe:(H)- as 'place' or
'put', then, in my opinion, we are misunderstanding the phrase or context.


Patrick