*pelh₁-

Reconstruction

LIV reconstructs *pelh₁- "to bring into motion, to swing".^[1] Beekes considers LIV's analysis possible in theory, but notes that there is no independent evidence for a nasal present behind Ancient Greek πάλλω (pállō), that a separate Proto-Greek stem *pal- is an alternative, and that everything remains uncertain.^[2] Kroonen, Mallory and Adams, and Kölligan in HCHIEL write *pelh₁- for the root meaning "to fill",^[3][4][5] which LIV sets up as *pleh₁- with a first full grade *pelh₁- in a few nouns.^[6]

Morphology

LIV reconstructs a doubtful reduplicated thematic aorist ?*pé-pl̥h₁-e- in Greek ἀμπεπαλών (ampepalṓn), a doubtful e-reduplicated present ?*pé-polh₁/pl̥h₁- in Slovene pláti (“to surge”), and a nasal-infix present *pl̥-né/n-h₁- in Ancient Greek πάλλω (pállō), with the Greek sigmatic aorist as an innovation.^[1] LIV separates Latin pellō (“to strike, push, drive”) on semantic grounds and puts it under *pelh₂-.^[1]

Evidence

The verb is found only in Greek and Slavic.^[1] LIV adds nouns: Greek πελεμίζω (pelemízō) and Ancient Greek πόλεμος (pólemos, “war”), Latin populus after Rix, and a Slavic noun for "fright".^[1] Beekes finds the link with the word for "war" semantically uncompelling,^[2] de Vaan calls the etymology of Latin populus unknown,^[7] and Derksen thinks the connection of Proto-Slavic *pòlxъ (“fear”) possible.^[8] No Anatolian, Indo-Iranian or Tocharian form is cited.^[1]

Meanings

1. to bring into motion, to swing^[1][9]

For the Slavic and Germanic words for "fear", LIV starts from the "swinging", that is, beating of the heart in excitement.^[1]

Derivatives

• Latin palea (“chaff”) may be a noun from the root, chaff being what is threshed off the corn.^[9][10]

Reflexes

• Greek: Ancient Greek πάλλω (pállō, “to swing, to shake”).^[2]
• Balto-Slavic: Proto-Slavic *pòlxъ (“fear”), possibly.^[8]
• Italic: Latin palea (“chaff”), possibly.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. *pelh₁-
2. ^ a b c Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill, p. s.v. πάλλω
3. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 159
4. ^ Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006), The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World, Oxford: OUP, p. 319
5. ^ Klein, Jared; Joseph, Brian; Fritz, Matthias, eds. (2017–2018), Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics, 3 vols (HSK 41), Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, p. 2257
6. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. *pleh₁-
7. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill, p. s.v. populus
8. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 410
9. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill, p. s.v. palea
10. ^ Smoczyński, Wojciech (2018), Lithuanian Etymological Dictionary, Berlin: Peter Lang, p. 1307