Word with the most progeny

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#208160 - 11/28/12 09:54 PM Word with the most progeny
HalAl stranger Registered: 03/22/04 Posts: 19 Loc: Central Indiana	After looking up the origin of "puppy" I learned that "pupa" and "puppet" are related to it. That led me to wonder what root word has spawned the most offspring?
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#208161 - 11/28/12 11:09 PM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: HalAl]
zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Registered: 08/13/05 Posts: 3269 Loc: R'lyeh	That led me to wonder what root word has spawned the most offspring? Well, you probably mean which Proto-Indo-European root has the most reflexes in the Indo-European daughter languages. Tough question. I guess you could look at Pokorny's dictionary and try to count which entry is the longest. Kind of strange. Oh, and welcome to the fun house! _________________________ Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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#208164 - 11/29/12 12:45 PM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: zmjezhd]
HalAl stranger Registered: 03/22/04 Posts: 19 Loc: Central Indiana	Originally Posted By: zmjezhd [ Oh, and welcome to the fun house! That's a bit belated, since I've been on here since 2004, but thanks all the same. :-) I mostly just look on and try to learn from the rest of you.
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#208165 - 11/29/12 12:59 PM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: HalAl]
zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Registered: 08/13/05 Posts: 3269 Loc: R'lyeh	That's a bit belated, since I've been on here since 2004 Ah, I see. I've just never seen one of your posts, but then I joined later than you. _________________________ Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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#208167 - 11/29/12 01:56 PM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: HalAl]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 10463 Loc: this too shall pass	"Best bet would probably be to ask American Heritage--they have their etymologies keyed to a list of IE roots, so if they don't know offhand they can probably generate the answer." -Jesse Sheidlower (U.S. editor OED)
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#208168 - 11/29/12 02:45 PM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: tsuwm]
zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Registered: 08/13/05 Posts: 3269 Loc: R'lyeh	"Best bet would probably be to ask American Heritage--they have their etymologies keyed to a list of IE roots, so if they don't know offhand they can probably generate the answer." That'd work if you wish to limit the offspring to English. (The A-H dictionary of roots has page reference to Pokorny's dictionary.) _________________________ Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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#208172 - 11/29/12 10:34 PM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: HalAl]
Avy old hand Registered: 06/23/00 Posts: 724	Originally Posted By: HalAl That's a bit belated, since I've been on here since 2004, but thanks all the same. :-) I mostly just look on and try to learn from the rest of you. Wow that is impressive; only 19 posts since 2004. I have been here since 2000, but have yapped on a lot more than you. You win the watcher/reader/learner stakes.
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#208191 - 12/01/12 12:54 AM Re: Word with the most progeny [Re: tsuwm]
Jackie Carpal Tunnel Registered: 03/15/00 Posts: 11578 Loc: Louisville, Kentucky	tsuwm--wow, it must be nice to have friends in high places! [bow]
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