From: Joao S. Lopes
Message: 64120
Date: 2009-06-11
Russian семя [simya] 'family' appeared to be related to Gothic sibja 'relationship, adoption'; cf. Russ. усвоить [usvoit'] 'adopt, assimilate'
On 2009-06-09 20:52, Joao S. Lopes wrote:
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> I've always suspected this could be a plausible link, Zywa/Síf.
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> If Si:f is Germanic, then < *si:Bo:, *si:Bjo:, *tsi:B-, *ksi:B- ?, *sihiB-?
What for? <Sif> is a personification of PGmc. *siBjo: 'relationship'
(Goth. sibja OE sibb, OHG sipp(e)a). The underlying adjective is *siBja-
'of one's own kind', hence *siBj-an- 'relative'. They seem to be echt
Germanic, ultimately from *swe-bH-(i)o- . Note that Gmc. *B always
becomes *b in loanwords taken by Slavic.
> If its not could come from an adstratum para-Slavic *z^i:va: > *zi:va: >
> *si:Bo: ?
*z^iva or *z^ivIje could well be represented as <Siwe> in a German
source, but then of course it would have nothing to do with Sif,
formally or semantically.
Piotr