Re: May you all...

Yitzik Penzev wrote:
>>>
Steg Belsky wrote:
> Hmm... Rokbeigalmki also uses the vowels _o_ and _i_ to represent
> masculine and feminine [...]
He-he... Still {o} :: {i} opposition as m :: f may be found in Gypsy
(Rromani). [...]
<<<
...and Michael Poxon wrote:
>>>
Yes, I think the sound you're thinking of is "lint-". I believe JRRT later
made it signify "sing, music" whence Lindar, Ainulindale and so on. I am a
very strong adherent of sound symbolism for my conlangs (kin=small,
kinti=tiny, bel=white (for some reason, BvL, where B=labial and L=liquid,
"look" off-white to me. That's the only way I can describe it.), and many
other examples.)
<<<

Are we dealing with a case of 'high front vowel equals smallness, low back
vowel equals largeness' (the 'itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka dot
bikini' phenomenon...)?

Christophe Grandsire wrote:
>>>
En réponse à Michael Poxon <m.poxon@...>:
> very strong adherent of sound symbolism for my conlangs (kin=small,
> kinti=tiny, bel=white (for some reason, BvL, where B=labial and
> L=liquid,
> "look" off-white to me. That's the only way I can describe it.)
He he, French "blanc" nearly fits the paradigm :)) .
<<<

And Czech bílý / Polish bialy / Russian bjelij even better!  Without
wishing to spark off another guest-host-type discussion, do our resident
PIE experts have anything to say on the Romance-Slavic connection here?

The sound-symbolism of 'bel' also connotes Romance 'beautiful', of course,
which perhaps fits with the 'white' theme.

Jonathan.
'O dear white children casual as birds,
Playing among the ruined languages...'
W. H. Auden, 'Hymn to St. Cecilia'