tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407840403433424940.post2252791438092721198..comments2023-06-12T00:43:52.680-07:00Comments on Minoan language blog: An elegant explanation for the lack of R-L distinction in Linear A and BAndras Zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15850805830621290277noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407840403433424940.post-77440800762895557252010-09-28T14:28:01.063-07:002010-09-28T14:28:01.063-07:00Sorry for not citing references here. I shall reme...Sorry for not citing references here. I shall remedy that by devoting an entire post to this theonym. Until that, I give the following examples (I hope this will be sufficient).<br /><br />Some of the better known derinatives of Proto-Indo-Eurpean stem <i>*h1leudh-</i> (also reconstructed as <i>*leudho</i>) are the following: Greek <i>ελεύθερος</i> = 'free', 'liberal', Latin <i>liber</i> = 'free', German <i>Leute</i> and Russian <i> люди</i> = 'people', even the non-Indo-European Etruscan has <i>lautni</i> = 'freedman'.<br /><br />Do not be fooled by the <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:List_of_Proto-Indo-European_roots#h.E2.82.81.2C_e.2Fo" rel="nofollow">wikitionary</a> list of PIE words: given the above distribution of meanings, the original one was likely the adjective 'free' and hence also 'free people' (neither slaves nor nobles).<br /><br />As for the presence of the stem in Proto-Anatolian, we have no direct proof. Hittite uses a different stem do denote the adjective 'free': <i>arawa-</i>. So the case is not closed yet...Andras Zekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15850805830621290277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407840403433424940.post-30795250060506888652010-09-25T10:02:51.977-07:002010-09-25T10:02:51.977-07:00For example, take the Minoan theonym Alauta (A-RA-...<i>For example, take the Minoan theonym Alauta (A-RA-U-DA = classic Greek Eileithyia). Her name is undoubtedly derived from the Proto-Indo-European stem *h1leudh- ='free'. The meaning of the name makes perfect sense, since Eileithyia was mostly worshipped by pregnant women, in hope of an easy childbirth and less complications and labour.</i><br /><br />Hm. In what context were the relevant ancient words that shared the proto-Indo-European stem for "free" used? "Free" is a very overloaded word in modern English. Was "free from pain" a correct use back then? Could "free" imply no price? Was "free" a word reserved for non-slave peoples?<br /><br />In my ideal universe, I will have an etymological dictionary which takes pages for every stem word and tracks its entire history of usage, through multiple languages, spelling changes, etc., and would detail answers like this.Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02871562029141632326noreply@blogger.com