Re: Proto-Germanic: Question
| From: | Roger Mills <romilly@...> |
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| Date: | Sunday, December 23, 2001, 21:44 |
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Joe Hill wrote:
If PIE /k_w/ turns to PG /x_w/ or /h_w/, surely, PIE /k_wetwores/ should come
out as /x_wiTwores/ instead of /fiTwores/ Or am I completely wrong?
No, you're correct-- the initial *kw _should_ have > **xw (the *-t- apparently
> **d). The usual explanation is "paradigmatic pressure" (numbers being a
closed system), with sporadic assimilation of the **xw to the **f of following
"*five"-- thus, Gothic has fidwo:r, fimf. The reverse change affected Latin 4
and 5 quattuor quinque for quattuor **pinque or somesuch. (IE '5' was *penkwe).
Sanskrit catur, panca show the expected reflexes, as do (I think) Gk. tessera,
pente