Beheaded Accipiter

I found this "scientific" discussion on Cyba-Cave list
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/59816

In cybalist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Piotr Gasiorowski <gpiotr@...> wrote:

On 2008-08-15 08:46, dgkilday57 wrote:

Explanations of <accipiter> as 'fast flier' or 'acceptor' are neither
formally nor semantically convincing. I prefer haplology from
*accipitipiter 'headlong faller', the first element being *acceps,
genitive *accipitis 'with head forward, headlong'. That is the
remarkable thing about these birds, how rapidly they can plummet to
the earth head-first.

That's what stooping falcons do, but true hawks (the genus _Accipiter_)
strike from ambush, flying fast but low. I'm not sure to what extent the
Romans confused them.

Piotr

First, the Latin gosh-hawk name (accipiter) has nothing to do neither
with acceptor nor with the Kilday's ac-ceps invention, because it
comes from Greek ὠκύπτερα (swift-winged;ωκυς swift + πτερόν wing;
quick wing beats; *aku-petro- swift flying).

Serbo-Slavic ptica (OSlav. пътица) is derived from the same basis as
the word pero (перо) or Greek πτερόν (wing, feather), πέτομαι (I fly;
πέτον fly!), Skt.pátati '(fly, fall).

In fact, Slavic ptica is a reduced form (syncopized; the loss of /l/)
of poletica (pltica => ptica; in accordence with the verb poleteti
"fly").

On the other hand, there are the Serbian words, verb - poterati (from
polterati; oblo-kret Gon-Bel-Hor-Gon => pokret movement) and the noun
poletarac (fledgeling, nestling), which clearly show the way in which
the words ptica (bird), ptić (nestling) as well as Lat. puellus -i;
English poultry; Latv. putns (bird) etc., have been evolved
Slavic pero is "oblotero"; i.e. "p(t)ero" that is in relation with the
verbs obletati and ob(le)terati (to fly about, fly around).

I am not surprised about Kilday's folk-crank-etymological approach,
but I can't believe that such an "expert" of Piotr's caliber is unable
to differ a scientifically reasonable premises from a sheer childish-
dreamy naivety.

DV
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Beheaded Accipiter
    ... *accipitipiter 'headlong faller', the first element being *acceps, ... in accordence with the verb poleteti ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Beheaded Accipiter
    ... *accipitipiter 'headlong faller', the first element being *acceps, ... remarkable thing about these birds, how rapidly they can plummet to ... in accordence with the verb poleteti ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Beheaded Accipiter
    ... *accipitipiter 'headlong faller', the first element being *acceps, ... Latin platalea is a water bird and it kept the sound /l/ that is lost ... in Slavic patka (from platka; ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Beheaded Accipiter
    ... *accipitipiter 'headlong faller', the first element being *acceps, ... Latin platalea is a water bird and it kept the sound /l/ that is lost ... in Slavic patka (from platka; ...
    (sci.lang)
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