Re: Etymology of Osettic "Nart"? (the suffix?)

I think Lithuanian words NARTUS, NARSUS, meaning BRAVE, FEISTY,
RUSTY, SPIRITED, can fit here.

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...> wrote:
>
> At 10:37:33 PM on Thursday, March 27, 2008, Carl Edlund
> Anderson wrote:
>
> > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan"
> > <proto-language@> wrote:
>
> >> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Edlund Anderson"
> >> <cea@> wrote:
>
> >>> Celtic shows reflexes of a *ner-to-, though I don't know
> >>> the function of that -to- suffix;
>
> >> *ner-to-, 'strength'
>
> > Well, yes, "strength" is certainly the sense of *ner-to-
> > in Celtic, though since PIE *ner- already carries the
> > sense "vital energy", I was wondering whether the -to-
> > suffix itself has a recognized function or sense to it.
>
> PCelt. *nerto- 'strength' is from PIE *h2ner-to- 'strong,
> virile', where I believe that *-to- is a suffix forming
> both deverbal (participial) and denominal adjectives. I
> suppose that *h2ner-to- is something like 'having strength
> and vitality, having the essence of manhood' (PIE *h2né:r
> 'man', Gk. <ané:r>).
>
> Brian
>