Re: Res: [tied] Hermes, Beekes, & citing members

If it can be related to Latin sermo:, I'd go with IE *swer- or *ser

I'd also check out the root of English swear

From: Joao S. Lopes <josimo70@...>
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, February 18, 2011 7:48:06 AM
Subject: Res: [tied] Hermes, Beekes, & citing members

If it's Pre-Greek (IE or not), Hermes (*Herma:as) should have been the same origin as Boreas/Borrha:s).

What does mean this apparent suffix -has?
1) *Herma:-has = the god of *herma:
2) Boreas/Borrha:s < *Bora:-a- <*Bora:-sa- and *Borsa:s
3) Latin Terminus = corruption of *Erminus?
4) Erminaz oddly linked to Aryaman?
5) Herma:has = Hittite Irmash, Armash, Irmayash, "Moon-god" ?

JS Lopes

De: Aydan <xthanex@...>
Para: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Enviadas: Sexta-feira, 18 de Fevereiro de 2011 10:31:32
Assunto: [tied] Hermes, Beekes, & citing members

A few further thoughts...

1) Sergei Nikolayev's, Indo-European Etymologic Database at the Tower of Babel website
(http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/main.cgi?root=config ), gives:
PIE *swer-(1) "to speak, talk."
as the source of Old Greek: hermǟnéu̯ō `verdolmetschen, übersetzen; deuten, auslegen, erklären', hermǟnéu̯-s m. `Dolmetscher, Übersetzer; Deuter, Ausleger'

Would this indicate a possible origin for "Hermes"?

2) I assume no one can give a page citation for Beeke's entry on Hermes (I don't forsee myself spending ___ for the text)

3) DGK & Marius – do you mind if I mention you as amateur linguist members of the cybalist?
The full section of this paper I'm working on will look something like:

Now regarding the etymology of Hermes and the Hermae: the origin of the names remains utterly unclear. Robert Beekes has suggested it derives from a Pre-Greek substrate (ENDNOTE needed). However, among IE origins, it has been proposed that the name might most likely arise from any of three PIE roots. The first possibility is suggested by Sergei Nikolayev, indicating that it may derive from PIE *swer-(1) "to speak, talk." The other two options have been presented by amateur linguists.(ENDNOTE CITING DGK & MARIUS) One is the PIE root *ser-(3) "to line up, join together, connect" - thus producing a reconstructed Attic-Ionic *herme, meaning "articulate speech." The remaining option is the PIE root *ser-(2) "to flow, to rush, to follow"; thereby resulting in something akin to "the one that follows the paths" (the God of Travellers - the Messenger of Gods).
Regardless of which PIE origin is used (*swer- or *ser-), Hermes cannot be linguistically related to PGmc *ermana-. Likewise, if Beekes is correct, and Hermes is Pre-Greek in origin, again it cannot be linked to the PGmc *ermana-.
As such, Hermes/Hermae and Irmin are blatantly not linguistically connected in any way, shape, or form.

Any thoughts?

Sincerely & appreciatively,
Aydan