*h₁éḱwos

Reconstruction

The thematic noun is written *h₁ék̑wos in the Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics,^[1] *h₁ék̂wos by Mallory and Adams,^[2] *h₁ek-uo- by Kroonen,^[3] *h₁eḱ-u- by de Vaan,^[4] and *h₁ekwo- by Matasović.^[5]

Morphology

Kloekhorst derives the Anatolian words from *h₁eḱu-, a u-stem and not a thematic noun.^[6] On that view the paradigm was *h₁ek-u-s, genitive *h₁k-u-ós,^[3] and the thematic *h₁eḱuo- arose after Anatolian separated.^[7]

The feminine *h₁ék̑w-eh₂ "mare" is formed by replacing the thematic vowel with the feminine suffix.^[1]

Evidence

Ten branches are cited under Reflexes, Anatolian and Tocharian among them.^[6][8] Among the groups, the word is absent for certain only in Slavic.^[9] The Armenian word means "donkey", and Mallory and Adams allow that it may be an unrelated loanword for "ass",^[9] while Martirosyan keeps it under this etymon.^[10]

Competing analyses

The Greek word does not fit: *ἔππος would be expected, and both the ἰ- and the initial aspiration are problems.^[7] Kroonen suggests that the geminate continues *ἕπϝος, a contamination of the expected nominative and genitive.^[3]

A link with *Hōk̑ú- "fast" is called possible by Kölligan,^[11] and Beekes says it cannot be demonstrated.^[7]

Meanings

1. horse^[2]

Mallory and Adams hold that the evidence for a specifically domestic horse is not strong, since no linguistic marker clearly shows an animal to be domestic.^[12]

Derivatives

• *h₁ék̑w-eh₂, "mare": Sanskrit अश्वा (áśvā), Latin equa, Old Lithuanian ašvà.^[1]
• Proto-Italic *ekwo-pet-o-, "horse-rider" or "charioteer", presupposed by Venetic ekvopetaris.^[4]

Reflexes

• Anatolian: Hittite *ekku- (“horse”) (written with a Sumerogram), Hieroglyphic Luwian ásu-, Lycian esb-.^[6]
• Tocharian: Tocharian B yakwe (“horse”), Tocharian A yuk.^[8]
• Indo-Aryan: Sanskrit अश्व (áśva-, “horse”), feminine Sanskrit अश्वा (áśvā-).^[13]
• Iranian: Avestan aspa- (“horse”).^[13]
• Greek: Ancient Greek ἵππος (híppos, “horse”), Mycenaean Greek i-qo.^[7]
• Armenian: Old Armenian էշ (ēš, “donkey”).^[10]
• Italic: Latin equus (“horse”), Venetic ekvon.^[4]
• Celtic: Proto-Celtic *ekʷo- (“horse”), Old Irish ech.^[5]
• Germanic: Proto-Germanic *ehwa- (“horse”), Old English eoh.^[3]
• Baltic: Lithuanian ašva (“mare”), Old Prussian aswinan "mare's milk".^[14]

References

1. ^ a b c 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. 2095
2. ^ a b Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006), The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World, Oxford: OUP, p. 135
3. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 115
4. ^ 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. equus
5. ^ a b Matasović, Ranko (2009), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, Leiden: Brill, p. 116
6. ^ a b c Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 237
7. ^ a b c d 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. ἵππος
8. ^ a b Adams, Douglas Q. (2013), A Dictionary of Tocharian B, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 518
9. ^ a b Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006), The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World, Oxford: OUP, p. 139
10. ^ a b Martirosyan, Hrach K. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 290
11. ^ 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. 2265
12. ^ Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006), The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World, Oxford: OUP, p. 154
13. ^ a b Mayrhofer, Manfred (1986–2001), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Winter, p. 139
14. ^ Derksen, Rick (2015), Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden: Brill, p. 79