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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 19
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 19 |
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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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
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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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 19
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 19 |
[
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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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
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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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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"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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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
"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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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724 |
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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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
tsuwm--wow, it must be nice to have friends in high places! [bow]
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