Re: Mitanni and Matsya

----- Original Message -----
From: "Miguel Carrasquer Vidal" <miguelc@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2008 5:55 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Re: Mitanni and Matsya


> On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 19:47:04 -0500, "Patrick Ryan"
> <proto-language@...> wrote:
>
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Miguel Carrasquer Vidal" <miguelc@...>
> >
> >> On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 18:20:57 -0500, "Patrick Ryan"
> >> <proto-language@...> wrote:
> >>
<snip>

> >In any case, the comparative evidence (e.g. HEgy <wr>, 'large', presents
> >the
> >unextended root from Nostratic.

***

There seems to be confusion between the derivatives of two roots which yield
HEgy <wr>, 'large;, and <w3>, 'far'.

***


> >Furthermore, just theoretically, *wer- has to have existed to provide a
> >base
> >for -*H.

<Miguel responded:>

> No, I don't think that any PIE root ending in -CC has to be
> an extension of a root ending in -C.

***

So much of our study is based on probabilities but I believe in this one
instance, you are completely, incontrovertibly wrong.

Any *CVCC _must_ be analyzed as *CVC (root) + *C, stem formant/root
extension.

***


> >And, we can agree that Varuna _could_ have been derived from *wer- rather
> >than *werH-, can we not?

<Miguel summed up:>

> Sure. Varuna could have been derived from *wer-, *werH-,
> *Hwer-, *HwerH-, *wel-, *welH-, *Hwel- or *HwelH-.
>
> But Piotr's proposal (*wérHuno-) is the only one I've seen
> so far that makes sense both formally and semantically.

***

Ah, semantically is another matter.

It seems you concur, then, that Varuna _might_ be formally derived from
*wer-, 'wide', the unextended root, corresponding to HEg <w3>/<wr>;
actually, I favor <w3>.

The semantics of Varuna are tied essentially to what we believe was Varuna's
earliest function in the pantheon, a matter on which there is no agreement.

His _earliest_ function will be the key to the semantics of his name.
Obviously, some believe that the Rigveda documents that. I do not. I believe
the Rigveda was syncretistic and the Indian populace retained a better
concept of what Varuna was; and post-Rigvedically, recognized Varuna in his
original function.

When I see Varuna, I see a man riding a crocodile (makara[?]).


Patrick

***