Re: Latin _ursus_ (was: HORSA vs. EXWA)

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Wordingham" wrote:

>
> > Not only that, but /s/ is also *unexpected* here (assuming it's the
> > reflex of *k'), because Latin is a "centum" language. Hence the
> > hypothesis of borrowing from another IE language is plausible.
>
> > > Why unexpected S? Shift ursus < *urxus is regular, isn't it?
>
> > I suppose you meant **urksos, with /x/ = /ks/. This would indicate

a

> > borrowing from a satem language.
>
> How does this match a Satem language? *urxus reflects -tk'- > -tsk'-
> -kts-, unless I've missed something in the Latin simplification of

consonant clusters.

>

AFAIK, only a "satem" language would develop a sibilant from a former
affricate, about whose origin our respective positions differ.