*k-r-(n-) “turtles, frogs, crabs; horn”
CTF : notes the widespread occurrence of similar words for crabs, turtles and frogs in Africa (the words occur outside Africa, too), and proposes that those words spread in Africa with the advent of a crab, turtle and frog hunting as a subsistence strategy. But note: they all occur in Austric too, and the animals they denote are all mythological animals. khú rú “tortoise” Sandawe , Sandawe k'õ ló “tortoise” Hadza , Hadza k'u: tá- “turtle” Hadza , Hadza kú nán “petite tortue” Laal , Laal !gu ru “tortoise-shell” Auen , Northern , Khoisan khigo e “tortoise” Naro , Khoe , Khoisan cu ru “tortoise” Mohissa , Khoe , Khoisan k' u kish “turtle” Kwama , Komuz , Nilo-Saharan n ku ra “small tortoise” Songhay , Songhay , Nilo-Saharan kó ro wú “tortoise” Kanuri , Saharan , Nilo-Saharan ká(bú)rù dà “tortoise” Aiki , Maba , Nilo-Saharan fa k ruu n “tortoise” Maba , Maba , Nilo-Saharan bo- ko l “tortoise” Didinga , Surmic , Nilo-Saharan le- ku r “tortoise” Dinka , ES , Nilo-Saharan ká ndá “small turtle” Bongo , CS , Nilo-Saharan o kù “tortoise” Ma'di , CS , Nilo-Saharan -kó ò ng “tortoise” Krongo , Kadugli , Nilo-Saharan (k)ë rë “tortoise” Masakin , Kordofanian, Niger-Congo kú lú “tortoise” Yaure , Mande , Niger-Congo k ru we “tortoise” pre , Niger-Congo -kwú lu “tortoise” *PWN , Atlantic- Congo , Niger-Congo ku l sebwa “tortoise” Lyele , Kwa , Niger-Congo é- kpù ru “tortoise” Igbo , WBC , Niger-Congo a- ku l “tortoise” Doka , Plateau , Niger-Congo -ku lu “tortoise” *CB , Bantu , Niger-Congo ko c'a “tortoise, turtle” Burji , Cushitic , Afro-Asiatic kon- ko lo “tortoise” Dullay , Cushitic , Afro-Asiatic se ku ur “tortoise” Beja , Beja , Afro-Asiatic kùng ku ruu “tortoise” Hausa , W. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic kú r “tortoise” Mwaghavul, W. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic kwà kú rù m “tortoise” Huba , C. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic gu re i “tortoise sp.” Lame , Masa , Afro-Asiatic kùn gù rù “turtle” Toram , E. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic tafe k ru rt “tortoise” Kabyle , Berber , Afro-Asiatic ko lla “tortoise, turtle” Sora , Munda , Austro-Asiatic ku ru lai “tortoise” Tamil , Dravidian goma: “crab” Hadza , Hadza kë-bàr “crab” Mbay , C. Sudanic , Nilo-Saharan -ka(l)- “crab” PWS , Mande-Congo, Niger-Congo kaku “crab” Mende , Mande , Niger-Congo kamu “crab” pre , Unclassfd. , Niger-Congo a-kara “crab” Temne , Atlantic , Niger-Congo à-kàngà “crab” Nembe , Ijoid , Niger-Congo gará-ga “crab” More , Gur , Niger-Congo à-gálà “crab” Ewe , Kwa , Niger-Congo kara “crab” Nupe , WBC , Niger-Congo kaab “crab” Mambila , Mambiloid , Niger-Congo kaagwa “crab” Hausa , W. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic tsakalzham “crab” Mafa , C. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic kúrzma “crab” Beni-Snus, Berber , Afro-Asiatic kani “crab” Japanese , Japonic ke “crab” Korean , Altaic *kë (n)taam “crab” Proto-Mon-Khmer , Austro-Asiatic *katam “crab” Proto-North-Bahnaric , Austro-Asiatic *kaRang “crab” Proto-Austronesian , Austronesian *karika “crab” Proto-Nuclear Micronesian , Austronesian kátta-da “crab” Akka Biada , Andamanese tekandue “crab” Onge , Andamanese *d-ka:y “crab” Proto-Tibeto-Burman , Sino-Tibetan kup(p)i “crab” Proto-Dravidian , Dravidian karkinos “crab” Greek , Indo-European karramorro “crab” Basque , Basque bililiyako “frog” Hadza , Hadza #?orong' “frog” Sandawe , Sandawe kwee “bullfrog” Hiecware , Central , Khoisan #qòbé “frog” ||Ani , Khoe , Khoisan k'waáta “frog” Ik , Kuliak , Nilo-Saharan nkorokoro “frog” Gao , Songhai , Nilo-Saharan kókó “frog” Kanuri , Saharan , Nilo-Saharan gorong “frog” Fur , Fur , Nilo-Saharan ámbo-kolà “frog” Masalit , Maba , Nilo-Saharan bòr-kwoid “frog” Tama , Tama , Nilo-Saharan lo-kido-dók “frog” Didinga , Surmic , Nilo-Saharan kwúdó' “frog” Temein , E. Sudanic , Nilo-Saharan káró “frog” Bagirmi , C. Sudanic , Nilo-Saharan kùrkùtë “frog” Mbay , C. Sudanic , Nilo-Saharan kw-uró “frog” Koalib , Kordofanian, Niger-Congo gwudo “frog” Heiban , Kordofanian, Niger-Congo kwia “frog” Bobo , Mande , Niger-Congo kode “frog” Balanta , Atlantic , Niger-Congo àkpálo “frog” Izon , Ijoid , Niger-Congo klo “frog” Baule , Kwa , Niger-Congo kere “frog” Yoruba , Benue-Congo, Niger-Congo ikwot “frog” Ibibio , Niger-Congo -kédè “frog sp.” Common Bantu , Bantu , Niger-Congo do-qaree “frog” Koyra , N. Omotic , Afro-Asiatic koppe “frog” Koyra , N. Omotic , Afro-Asiatic kware' “frog. toad” Bilin , Agaw , Afro-Asiatic koopi “toad” Burji , E. Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic koraankorach “frog” Arbore , E. Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic kwado “frog, toad” Hausa , W. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic kudaf “frog” Mafa , C. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic kál-tám “frog” Migama , E. Chadic , Afro-Asiatic q-r-r “frog, toad” New Kgd. , Egyptian , Afro-Asiatic inqurarit “frog, toad” Amharic , Semitic , Afro-Asiatic qurra “frog” Arabic , Semitic , Afro-Asiatic amqerqur “frog, toad” Kabyle , Berber , Afro-Asiatic qrng “frog” Proto-Miao-Yao , Miao-Yao *kai “toad” Miao , Miao-Yao #kop “frog” proto-Thai , Daic kap “small frog” Cham , Austro-Asiatic #qub “frog” Paiwan , Formosan , Austronesian #kappe “frog” Proto-Dravidian , Dravidian CELR I 49: *kir- “frog” Central Chadic *kiR- “frog” East Chadic k.rr- “frog” Egyptian IEW: 1. *k'er-, *k'erë-, *k´ra:-, *kerei-, *k'ereu- “upper part of the body : head, horn (and horned animals); pinnacle” 2. *k'er- “grow, make grow, nourish” serm “seed” Armenian serim “am born, grow” Armenian *korwos > koros “adolescent” Greek Cere:s godess of cultivated earth Latin cre:-sc- “grow” Latin pro-ce:rus “tall and slender” cerus manus “creator bonus” Old Latin sheriù, shérti “feed” Lithuanian shermens shermenys “funeral meal” Lithuanian sermen “funeral meal” Old Prussian hirso “millet” Old High German 3. *k'er- “thread (for weaving); plait, tie”, only Arm. and Greek sarik' Pl. “spider” Armenian kairóo “bind the weaving together” Greek keiria “strap of bedstead” Greek “Grabtücher” (NT) Greek 4. *k'er-, *k'erë-: k're:- “injure”, intr. “become decrepit, rot” shrnáti “breaks, crushes” Sanskrit keraizo “lay waste, plunder” Greek ker, kerós “death, destruction; godess of death” Greek carie:s “rot” Latin carius “moth” Latin *k'r- > ther “butcher” Albanian *k'er-a- tsirrís “stab” Albanian do-cer “he fell” Old Irish crín “withered” Old Irish ka:ryap “injury” Tokharian A karep “injury” Tokharian B IEW: (*k'ered-:) *k'erd- *k'e:rd- *k'rd- *k'red- “heart” hrd “heart” Sanskrit sirt “heart” Armenian kardía: “heart” Greek cord- “heart” Latin críde “heart, center” Old Irish craidd “center” Welsh haírto “heart” Gothic ka-ra-az “heart” Hittite NS 72: *k'ErdV “heart, breast” Proto-Nostratic *ki:rV “breast, belly” North Caucasian NS 86: *kErV “horn” Proto-Nostratic *k- rather than *k'- because of *kr- Proto-Kartvelian *qwVrHV “horn” Sino-Caucasian *Krua: (-k, -n,) Sino-Tibetan *x.o? Proto-Yeniseian *qwä:(r)HV North Caucasian WORDS: cardo, cardinis “hinge, pole, axis; chief point, circumstance; crisis; tenon/mortise; area; limit” Latin IENH 246: *k[h][a|ë]r- “to cut” Proto-Nostratic > *k[h](e|o)r- “to cut off, to cut down” Proto-IndoEuropean *k[a|ë]r- “to cut” Proto-AfroAsiatic *ker-ti- “to cut into, carve, notch” Proto-Altaic EIEC: *(s)ker- “cut apart, cut off” scaraid “separates, divides” Old Irish skera “to cut” Old Norse scieran (< IE shear) “to cut, shear” Old English sceran “to cut, shear” Old High German skiriù “to separate, divide” Lithuanian shkirt “separate, divide” Latvian kroju “cut” Russian shqerr “tear apart” Albanian keíro: “cut” Greek k'erem “scrape off, scratch off” Albanian karsmi “cut off, castrate” Hittite krnáti “wounds, kills” Sanskrit *(s)kert- kertu “hew” Lithuanian cértu “hew” Latvian k'ert'em “skin” Armenian kartai- “cut off” Hittite kërëntaiti “cuts” Avestan krntáti “cuts” Sanskrit skor “notch, tally; twenty” Old Norse sceard “cut, notch” Old English CTF: #kual- “hard” Proto-Mande-Congo PM: khara “solid, sharp” Sanskrit, also karkara “hard, firm” KRP: kula a system of magic and (magical) gifts and obligations circulating anti-clockwise in the Trobriand Islands (mwali circulating clockwise) PM: kona “corner” Sanskrit kona- “corner” Polynesia kona- “barb in tail of ray, thorn, antennae of insect” Lau gitna- “center” Philippines koti “tip, extremity, top” Sanskrit koki- “extremity, tiptop, uppermost” Hawai'i to-i- “tip, extremity, top” Maori kake- “to climb” Samoa, Tonga tugatog- “height, top, hill, altitude” Tagalog tuk-tok- “mountain top, summit, peak” Tagalog tokai- “a spear or puncture” Anutan tika- “a short spear or dart” Anutan tuki- “to drive a nail, puncture, etc” Anutan HSED 1550 *k.ar- “horn” *k.arn- “horn” Semitic qarnu “horn” Akkadian qrn “horn” Ugaritic qeren “horn” Hebrew qarno: “horn” Aramaic (Syrian) qarn- “horn” Arabic qarn “horn” Geez qo:n “horn” Mehri qun “horn” Shh.eri qan “horn” Soqotri Derivative in *-n-. k.r.ty “horns” (dual) Egyptian (New Kingdom) *[k]ar- “horn” Omotic karoo “horn” Kaffa karo “horn” Mocha ED: Prototype: *KIRU Nilo-Saharan *KiR- gwur-tu “horn” Afitti gi:la “horn” Kunama AfroAsiatic Cushitic *qr “horn” garri “horn” Somali qaro id. Mocha Ancient Egyptian qr.tj “horns” Semitic *qarn qarn “horn” Arabic qeren id. Hebrew IndoEuropean cornu: id. Latin cervos “stag, deer” Latin horn “horn” Scandinavian hjort “hart” Scandinavian kárnon “horn” Galatian carn id. Welsh koróva “cow” Russian sérna “chamois” Russian s´rnga- “horn” Sanskrit kar(a)war “horns” Hittite Uralic kiire “crown (of the head)” Finnish, Estonian Kartvelian *kr-a “horn” Zan Basque hortz “tooth” (Trombetti: from *khar-) Caucasian Northern Caucasian (Starostin & Nikolayev) *l\:l\:VrV “horn” Ainu kirau “horns, antlers” Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman *kruw, kr&w “horn” Miao-Yao (Benedict) *klo(n,), kyo(n,) “horn” Daic *klook “horn” (from *KIRU-ka?) Amerind (Shevoroshkin) *k'iRV “horn” k'ili id. Sintun cirx id. Rumsien kir “tooth” Jicaque kere “bone” Jicaque -ixkin “horn” Blackfoot HHIE surveys various IE forms meaning “head” and “horn” (e.g. Greek káre and kéras) meeting on his way such forms as: káre “head” Greek kéras “horn (object)” Greek shrnga- “horn” Sanskrit sa:ra “head” Avestan Horniss “wasp” German plus an irritating form "kar" epikar “downwards?, head over heels?” Greek kit-kar “(to/at) the head” Hittite An endingless "locative" form? This means all the forms meaning “head” would be somehow delocatival in the same way as HHIE suggests delocatival derivation (with a locatival suffix -er) for cere-brum “brain, skull” Latin karara “head” Greek HKD has (11, note 28) *tr “there” PIE -tar Luvian tar-hi Vedic thar (< *thor ) Gothic there (< *the:r) English *kwr “where” PIE -kuar Palaic kar-hi Vedic hwar (< *kwor ) Gothic where (< *kwe:r) English so it is tempting to set up: *kr “here” PIE kar Greek kar Hittite here English which makes "kar" mean “a point”? “a "here"”? Imagine 3D geometry as we know it. Add physics and mechanics, or rather "naive" versions of them. An axiom of "naive" mechanics is: "Nothing moves, unless caused to move by something else". "Causing something to move" is asymmetrical (and we won't allow circular causation). Therefore some things (at points? a "here"?) cause to move without themselves being moved. These things are animate, subjects; all other things are inanimate, objects. This I think is close to the image of the world, these people had: the concepts of geometry, naive physics and mechanics, plus animateness. There is famous anecdote about the artificial intelligence program TailSpin which was constructed to make stories. One story it came up with runs somehing like this: "Peter climbed up into a tree. Peter climbed out onto a branch. Peter fell from the branch into the water. Gravity drowned". Now why did Gravity drown? The rules TailSpin used to produce stories included: If you move something from A to B, you move yourself from A to B. If you have no support, Gravity will move you down If you are in the water, and you can't swim, and you have no friends to save you, you will drown. What happened was this: Gravity moved Peter down into the water. Therefore Gravity moved it(her?)self into the water. Gravity can't swim and has no friends. So Gravity drowns. The shock (and humorous) effect comes from Gravity surfacing as an animate subject, almost like a genie or goddess of Gravity (Gravitas?) although all TailSpin had to work on were assumptions that we use everyday. Today's physics is also squeezed into the procrustean bed of the sentence structure of our accusative languages: animate somebody or inamate something acts onto inanimate something. At the same time Gravity is an abstract thing: the noun has no referent in the outside world. The invention of abstract words forces us to assume the existence of an abstract world. This is where gravity belongs. Or is it the goddess Gravitas who lives in the beyond? An old discarded theory (but I have forgotten why it was discarded) said: the invention of abstract nouns came about because PIE had very few conjunctions relating sentence to sentence. You could say: "The stone was heavy. It crushed my foot." If you wanted to make sure the other understood the causal relationship, you couldn't say "Because the stone was heavy, it crushed my foot". But after you invented the (feminine) abstracta, you could say: "The heaviness (gravity!) of the stone crushed my foot" And since heaviness is now a noun you can make strange sentences with it: "Heaviness is bad (for feet)" "Heaviness will crush feet" or, if some kind of heaviness bothers you, you can build a temple to Gravitas and plead with her and try to get a special deal, different from the one she has with everyone else. Or if you are very scientific, you could say: "Gravity will pull objects to the ground" believing that you are not a believer in animate spirits which live inside things causing them to do stuff (while actually being one). Back to *kr-: This is what I think *kr- is: an animate something that can do things of its own volition, unpredictable (unlike inanimate things). Back