CVC-edge alternancies and the foundations of the analysis of Proto-Basque word families: An outline of "ban/bar-/bal"

• Published in: Anuario del Seminario de Filología Vasca "Julio de Urquijo." Vol. 52; no. 1/2; pp. 437 - 486
• Main Author: Joseba Lakarra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: UPV/EHU Press 01.09.2018
• ISSN: 0582-6152; 2444-2992

As Mitxelena demonstrated, the left-hand side of words is the hardest to reconstruct; amongst the best well-known of these, moreover, b- is one of the most problematic initials on account of its multiple changes and losses (*b- b-, ø-, m-). Likewise, if the oldest phenomena in the diachronic morphology of Basque (reduplication and prefixation) are on the left, on the right-hand side several difficult alternations have long been recognised without receiving much attention. The analysis of word families is very important for the reconstruction of phonology, morphology and the etymology of Proto-Basque. We want to present an outline of one of these families (*ban/bar-/bal-), by way of an introduction to a broader and more developed study. Here we can benefit from knowing the layers of the oldest phonology and morphology and their chronology as well as working on the help of clarifying the etymologies of the some 140 words examined. Making use of a preliminar study of the *bon/bor-/bol- relatives, the notes and comments reinforce the data, explanations and conclusions in the analysis of the family studied.