In this article we present a new reconstruction of Indo-European phylogeny based on 13 110-item basic wordlists for protolanguages of IE subgroups (Proto-Germanic, Proto-Slavic, etc.) or ancient languages of the corresponding subgroups (Hittite, Ancient Greek, etc.). We apply reasonably formal techniques of linguistic data collection and post-processing (onomasiological reconstruction, derivational drift elimination, homoplastic optimization) that have been recently proposed or specially developed for the present study. We use sequential phylogenetic workflow and obtain a consensus tree based on several algorithms (Bayesian inference, maximum parsimony, neighbor joining; without topological constraints applied). The resulting tree topology and datings are entirely compatible with established expert views. Our main finding is the multifurcation of the Inner IE clade into four branches ca. 3357–2162 bc: (1) Greek-Armenian, (2) Albanian, (3) Italic-Germanic-Celtic, (4) Balto-Slavic–Indo-Iranian. The proposed radiation scenario may be reconciled with diverse opinions on Inner IE branchings previously expressed by Indo-Europeanists.
According to one of the most well-founded hypotheses, in the Proto-Indo-European language *sem-, meant ‘unus,’ whereas *Hoi̯H- meant ‘solus.’ In this article arguments for and against this hypothesis are examined in detail. In Proto-Slavic the reverse distribution is observed: *samъ, indirectly originating from *sem-, meant ‘solus,’ whereas *edinъ, going back to *Hoi̯H-, meant ‘unus.’ This article is an at tempt to determine how *somHos (> *samъ) ‘idem’ in Proto-Slavic extended its meaning first to ‘ipse’ and then to ‘solus’ and to analyze exactly how it happened. Although for the Indo-European languages the reverse situation is more common (‘ipse’ acquires the meaning ‘idem’), a similar pattern for such a shift in meaning can be found in the history of Ancient Greek αὐτός.
The article is devoted to the semantics of the Proto-Slavic word *kъrkъ, whose descendants have a wide range of meanings from ‘throat’ to ‘back’. The analysis presented shows that the Proto-Slavic word can be most probably reconstructed to mean ‘vertebra prominens / cervical vertebrae’. With this taken into account, the author looks at the previously proposed etymologies and puts forward a new one.
The monograph is an attempt to reconstruct the Proto-Slavic system of naming the body parts. The author concentrates on restoring the exact semantics and morphological appearance of these designations. For the most part of the words included in the monograph he considers the existing etymologies and puts forward several new ones. For some of the body parts, an attempt was made to collect and systematize innovative names, to establish the main directions of semantic drifts and methods of nomination.
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