-et-

From Lexicon Leponticum
Jump to navigationJump to search

Type: derivational
Function: agentive
Language: Celtic
Phonemic analysis: -/et/-
From PIE: *-(e)t-
From Proto-Celtic: *-et-
Attestation: aśkoneti, aśkonetio, kiketu, pirauiχeś, piretos, plialeθu, sekezos, seχeθu

Commentary

The Celtic languages have a comparatively large number of formations of the nominalising PIE suffix *-t- with ablaut in the suffix -et-/-ot- (always with one grade generalised in Celtic). See Irslinger 2002 passim, esp. 46 f. In Gaulish, the e-grade suffix is attested in a handful of PNN (e.g., *cinget- 'warrior' in vercingetorix, see king-) and ethnonyms (e.g. nemetes; Lambert 1994: 34). Gaulish -et- is considered to have agentive function by, e.g., Hamp 1988: 54; see Irslinger 2002: 67 f. for details.

Bibliography