Re: PIE six and seven: questions

From: oalexandre
Message: 71643
Date: 2013-12-06

> [DGK]

In my view, both 'six' and

'seven' are thus analyzable within Indo-European and not borrowed from Semitic.  If any borrowing has occurred, these numerals have gone from IE to Semitic, along with the words for 'horn', 'bull', and 'tower' characterizing tribes who bred large cattle, used them for draught and as currency, and built defensive towers.
>
This is a politically incorrect statement resonating to the myth of Aryan supremacy. Nelson Mandela's recent death should remind us that ethnical prejudices still exist around the world, even in historical linguistics.

Actually, Semitic numerals like '7' spread to other languages as cultural Wanderwörter in the Neolithic. In my opinion, the relationship between Semitic *sab`-(at-) and IE *septm is beyond all doubt. Furthermore, Germanic *sibun apparently reflects the Semitic masculine (unsuffixed) form.

On the other hand, IE *penkWe '5' can be linked to a Caucasian word 'fist'. Attempts to explain these and other IE numerals from IE itself are *futile* and reflect the inadequacy of mainstream framework of IE studies, which includes a lot of pre-conceived ideas.