Remarks on Inner-Tocharian Borrowing and the Etymology of Tocharian A lek ‘shape; gesture’, B lek* ‘gesture’
Remarks on Inner-Tocharian Borrowing and the Etymology of Tocharian A lek ‘shape; gesture’, B lek* ‘gesture’
Author(s): Giulio ImberciadoriSubject(s): Language studies, Theoretical Linguistics
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
Keywords: Tocharian languages; inner-Tocharian borrowing; lexicalization; internal derivation; u-substantivization; o-substantivization
Summary/Abstract: After discussing some thus far unknown examples of inner-Tocharian borrowing processes with direction TA >> TB, the present paper argues that also the substantive B lek* ‘gesture’ represents a loanword from Tocharian A, in particular from the Tocharian A form lek ‘shape; gesture’. Under the assumption of a semantic development ‘equality, identity, correspondence’ ⇒ ‘figure, shape’ ⇒ ‘gesture’ – for which parallels are available –, A lek is etymologically connected with the independently reconstructable root PIE *leig-‘(be[come]) equal’ and thus traced back to a nominal pre-form *lóig-u- or *lóig-o-.
Journal: Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
- Issue Year: 76/2023
- Issue No: 3
- Page Range: 337-353
- Page Count: 17
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF