*bʰuH-

Reconstruction

Clackson, Fortson and Ringe write the root *bʰuH- or *bhuH-, Ringe adding *bhuh₂- with a query.^[1][2][3] LIV sets it up as *bʰu̯eh₂- "to grow, arise, become".^[4] The Leiden dictionaries assume a root *bʰh₂u- with metathesis: Beekes derives *bhuh₂- from *bhh₂u-, de Vaan reconstructs the aorist *bh(e)h2u-, Kroonen *bʰéh₂u- and Derksen *bʰHu-.^[5][6][7][8] Schrijver argues for *bhHu- rather than *bhuH-.^[9]

Morphology

Clackson and Ringe present it as a root that does not ablaut.^[1][3] LIV notes that its full grade II rests almost only on Old Latin fuās (“may you be”) and the Italic imperfect suffix, the zero grade having been generalised nearly everywhere.^[4] LIV reconstructs a root aorist in Vedic अभूत् (ábhūt, “has become”) and Greek ἔφῡν (éphūn, “grew, became”), a thematic present *bʰéu̯h₂-e- in Sanskrit भवति (bhávati, “becomes, is”), a zero-grade present *bʰuh₂-i̯é- in Latin fīō (“to become”), a perfect, and a doubtful s-desiderative.^[4] Beekes says the whole Greek verb is built on the intransitive aorist ἔφῡν.^[5] Kroonen explains Germanic *būan- beside *bōan- from an ablauting root present *bʰéh₂u-ti, plural *bʰh₂u-énti.^[7]

Evidence

Clackson says the root survives in every branch except Anatolian and Tocharian.^[1] In Italic it gave the imperfect suffix *-f-, and in Slavic the infinitive and aorist stem of "to be".^[2][10]

Meanings

1. to grow, to arise, to become^[4]

Sihler notes that in the Rigveda the aorist Sanskrit अभूत् (ábhūt) usually means "became" rather than "was".^[11] Germanic developed "to dwell", in Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌿𐌰𐌽 (bauan, “to dwell”).^[7]

Derivatives

• Ancient Greek φυτόν (phutón, “plant”) and Old Irish both (“cabin”), from *bhh₂u-to-.^[5]
• Ancient Greek φῦμα (phûma), matching Sanskrit भूमन् (bhū́man-, “earth, world, being”).^[5]
• The past participle *bhh₂u-tó- in Latin futūrus (“about to be”).^[6]

Reflexes

• Indo-Aryan: Sanskrit भवति (bhávati, “becomes, is”), listed by LIV.^[4]
• Greek: Ancient Greek φύομαι (phúomai, “to grow, arise, become”).^[5]
• Italic: Latin fuī (“I was”).^[6]
• Germanic: Proto-Germanic *būaną (“to live, dwell”).^[7]
• Baltic: Lithuanian būti (“to be”).^[12]
• Slavic: Old Church Slavonic бꙑти (byti, “to be”).^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c Clackson, James (2007), Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction, Cambridge: CUP
2. ^ a b Fortson, Benjamin W., IV (2010), Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, 2nd ed., Malden, MA / Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
3. ^ a b Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d e Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert, p. s.v. *bʰu̯eh₂-
5. ^ a b c d e 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. φύομαι
6. ^ 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. fuī
7. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 71
8. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 71
9. ^ Schrijver, Peter (1991), The Reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European Laryngeals in Latin, Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 526
10. ^ 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. 1551, ch. 82
11. ^ Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, New York: OUP
12. ^ Derksen, Rick (2015), Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 121