> I wondered if it was not possible to improve the translation of the
> Pliny quote in which he mentions the plough:
> 'Non pridem inventum in Raetia Galliae duas addere tali rotulas, quod
> genus vocant plaumorati'.
> Here's my translation:
> "Not long-ago [it was] invented in Raetia of Gaul to add thus two
> wheels, what people call plaumorati (pl.)"
> Pl.'s use of 'quod' "what" as relative is bad grammar. It refers
> backwards to "adding two wheels" and is thus neuter, but forwards to
> 'plaumorati'; that conflict Pl. ignores. In short, I think
> 'plaumorati' refers, not to the total plough, but to the wheels that
> were added to the instrument. Therefore, 'plaumorati' should be
> analysed as *plan,Wo-rat-i (with 'Old European' /a/ for /e/) or
> "plough wheels". Or rather "runner (replacement) wheels".
Kuhn's list of words with root /a/ in both Germanic and Latin (which I
suspect of bein loans from Venetoc) includes
ratio: 'computation', Goth. raþjo: 'number, account'
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/30032
In light of the discussion I had with Andrew
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/60436
and the idea that the Sino-Tibetan roots (Benedict)
#352 *blen,-/*plen,- "straight; straighten"
#138 *plen, "flat surface"
#142 *blin,-/*plin,- "full"
are the source of PIE (Watkins)
Watkins on PIE:
*pel&-(1) "flat; to spread",
*plat- "to spread" (extended root of *pel&-(1))
*pel(&)-(2) "to fill"
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/45555
one gets the suspicion that Venetic/Rhaetic *plan,W- is related (as
'measuring instrument') to the above roots, and that Lat. ratio:,
Goth. raþjo: and Venetic/Rhaetic *rat- "wheel" (Pokorny ret(h)
"laufen, rollen"; roto- "Rad") are too.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/60443
In which case the wheel started as a ritual measuring and delimiting
instrument, cf. Pokorny 2. reu-, rew&-: ru(:)- "aufreißen, graben,
aufwühlen; ausreißen; raffen"; zum Teil, wie es scheint, noch volleres
ereu- (s. unten); Partiz. Perf. Pass. ru:-tó-. Old a-/u- alternation,
cf apa/upe ?
Torsten