Baltic *balā ‘mud, bog, marsh’ at the Indo-European Backdrop
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Acta Linguistica Lithuanistica |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://journals.lki.lt/actalinguisticalithuanica/article/view/2183/2287 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.35321/all87-01 |
| Keywords | Baltic; Germanic; Celtic; Slavic; source; unmuddy; swamp |
| Description | In this article the Baltic term *balá ‘mud, bog, marsh’ is analyzed from the point of view of its word-formation and etymology. The discussion of preceding etymologies leads to the choice of the cognates in Germanic *póla-, and possibly Continental Celtic *bolá, all ‘swamp, marsh’, plus newly the Slavic term *oNb(7)l7 ‘source, spring; well’ as *N-blo ‘unmuddy’ = ‘clear (water)’. The Germanic comparanda imply the rare initial *b-, for some linguists, namely representatives of the Leiden school, indicating the “non-Indo-European” origin. It is tested if the etymon could represent an extension in -l- from the root *gwebh- ‘marsh, swamp’ in the zero-grade of ablaut in agreement with the ideas of Alexander Lubotsky. |
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