[INDOLOGY] Re: -t/-d

[Martin Joachim Kümmel]

Dear all,

since all distinctions between stop series were probably neutralized in word-final position since Proto-Indo-European times, it is actually impossible to know if it was originally *-t or *-d. In case of verb endings we can tell, since the extended variants *-ti (and *-to) point to *t. But for the neuter pronoun ending or the ablative, we do not have such a very secure clue. For the latter, the Anatolian ending *-ti, if connected, would also point to *t. In general I would say that *t is more probable in any case, since plain voiceless stops are much more frequent in affixes and endings than any other series. So, from an IE perspective, it does not matter so much, but *t is the best original option for the underlying sound. There is evidence for final "weakening" in the sense that this could be identified with the "media" *d in absolute final position as well as in sandhi before voiced sounds, but that is just a sandhi rule quite independent of the original underlying sound.

All best wishes,
Martin

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Stefan Baums <baums at lmu.de> 
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 4. März 2021 10:32
An: Indology <indology at list.indology.info>
Betreff: [INDOLOGY] Re: -t/-d

Dear Antonia,

> I'm actually unsure what we reconstruct for ablative forms such as 
> tasmāt (also an original -d based e.g. on Old Latin ablatives in -od 
> (long o)/-ād?)

*-ōt seems to be the standard assumption, so for instance in the declension tables in Meier-Brügger’s Einführung § 311 and Sihler’s Comparative Grammar § 255 (variant *-āt), though then in his discussion in § 257 Sihler has “*-t (? or *-d) preceded by a long vowel.” He adduces Hittite instr. -at, abl. -az(a) < *-ati, and does seem to consider Sabellian *-ōd as secondary, namely from “**-o-Vt.”

Macdonell, Kale and Whitney presumably just chose the Sanskrit sandhi forms that corresponded to their understanding of the Indo-European background of the nominative and ablative.

All best,
Stefan

--
Stefan Baums, Ph.D.
Institut für Indologie und Tibetologie
Ludwig‐Maximilians‐Universität München
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