m-/b- alternation in Burushaski

[Suresh Kolichala]

Thanks Hans and Dipak for the clarification. Now I understand why Witzel
referred to *m/bruža* without any explanation: splitting of sonorant
clusters by an insertion of a homorganic voiced stop is a well-known
phenomenon in Indo-European.

I also looked at Witzel's references to von Hinüber 1980 (in German) and
1989, but I still do not see where the ancient self-designation of the
Burusho- people as *m**ruža *is attested. I appreciate any help in tracing
the attestation of *mruž**a*.

Thanks,
Suresh.

On Sat, Nov 17, 2012 at 10:11 PM, Dipak Bhattacharya <
dbhattacharya200498 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> OIA √*brav* (AiG.I 182) is said to be from Prim.Indo-Iranian √*mrav*retained in the Avesta. Wellknown phenomenon. See Aig
> *lc* for m>b in Greek
> Best
> DB
>
>   ------------------------------
> *From:* Suresh Kolichala <suresh.kolichala at GMAIL.COM>
> *To:* INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
> *Sent:* Saturday, 17 November 2012 9:52 PM
> *Subject:* [INDOLOGY] m-/b- alternation in Burushaski
>
> The list may recall our discussion on Narmada and Narbada alternation,
> and the possible sound change where intervocalic labial nasal transforms
> to become an oral stop along the following lines: *-m- > -**β̃*- > -v/*b*-
> .
>
> However, I was surprised to find a word-initial alternation of m and b in
> one of the famous papers Witzel wrote in 1999 (he was very prolific in that
> year). He  says the following in this paper (
> http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/MT-Substrates.pdf):
>
> North of this area, at the northern bend of the Indus (Baltistan/Hunza),
>  Burushaski is spoken. However, the language and the tribal name are
> indirectly attested in this general area ever since the RV: **m/b*ruža
>  (mod. burušo) > Ved. Mūja-vant, Avestan Muža.
>
>
> Is such m-/b- alternation a known Burushaski phenomenon? Witzel seems to
> suggest that Mruža was the the ancient self designation of the Burusho-
> people but, unfortunately, without any helpful references.
>
> I appreciate any information or pointers on such transformation.
>
> Thanks,
> Suresh.
>
> It is interesting that Brahui, a Dravidian language now found in the
> southwestern corner of Pakistan, also shows a similar transformation:
>
> **mē(l)-*  'over, above' > Br. b*ē-*
> **mi**ṭ- '*to leap'* > *Br.* ***bi**ṭ- *'to throw, let drop'
>
> However, this change is apparently conditioned by a following front vowel
> (Dravidian nasals in Brahui, Krishnamurti 2001:121-126), and perhaps
> unrelated to the above alternation.
>
>
>


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