Cognate Set 1532 – Meaning: seed

IE-CoR reference form:
*sper-
IE-CoR reference language:
Proto-Indo-European
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Justification:
Hellenic and Albanian lexemes derived from PIE *sper- 'to spread, scatter' (LIV² 580). The connection of Albanian lexemes to this class follows Demiraj 1997:56, Orel 1998:93, but more skeptically cf. Holm 2011:78; for Hellenic, cf. Chantraine 1968–1980:1035-1036, Beekes 2010:1379-1380, Babinotis 2010:1316).
Found in clades:
Albanian, Hellenic
Revised by:
Matthew Scarborough
Found in 2 clades by 13 lexemes.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
8   Greek: Modern Std spóros σπόρος ˈspo̞ro̞s ˈspo̞ro̞s
6   Greek: Ancient spérma σπέρμα spé̞rma spé̞rma G.sg. σπέρματος.
19   Albanian: Standard farë Also 'semen, kin'. From PAlb *sparā < IE *sporā closely connected with Gk fem. σπoρα 'seed' and further to *sper- 'to spill, to sow'. Holm suggests it may be a loan < Gk.
13   Tsakonian: Peloponnese phráma π̔ράμα ˈpʰrama ˈpʰrama
5   Greek: Mycenaean pe-mo 𐀟𐀗 spérmo spérmo Many attestations. See DMic. for full range. Alternate form pe-ma [spérma].
7   Greek: New Testament spérma σπέρμα ˈspe̞rma ˈspe̞rma > 30 attestations in the NT.
11   Greek: Cypriot spóros σπόρος ˈspɔrɔs ˈspɔrɔs
14   Tsakonian: Propontis spóre σπόρε ˈspo̞re̞ ˈspo̞re̞
12   Greek: Italiot spóro σπόρο ˈspo̞ro̞ ˈspo̞ro̞ It.
9   Greek: Cappadocian spóros σπόρος ˈsporos ˈsporos
10   Greek: Pontic sporá σπορά spo̞ˈra spo̞ˈra
18   Albanian: Gheg farë
20   Albanian: Arbëresh farë ˈfaːɾə
References
  • Babinotis, George: 1316
    S.v. σπόρος, from Ancient Greek σπόρος 'sowing, seed-time; seed', cf. Ancient Greek σπείρω 'sow'.
  • Beekes, Robert: 1379-1380
    S.v. σπείρω 'to sow, seed'. Mycenaean Greek pe-ma, pe-mo and Ancient Greek σπέρμα reflect PIE *spér-mn̥.
  • Chantraine, Pierre: 1035-1036
    Cf. s.v. AGk. σπείρω 'semer' with nominal derivative σπέρμα 'semence, fait de semer, origine', from PIE *sper- 'réprandre'.
  • Demiraj, Bardhyl: 56
    Assumes a sound-law *sp- > f-, comparing Alb. farë 'Samen, Saat' to Gk. σπορά 'Saat'. [No entry for farë otherwise.]
  • Holm, Hans J.: 78
    Three possibilities: Either (1) inherited as an old verbal noun from 3. *sper- 'ausstreuen / to scatter' > PIE *spór-eh₂ > PAlb. sparā, accepting a sound-law of *sp- > f- (cf. Demiraj 1997:56), or (2) an early loan from Greek σπορά 'seed' (predating the sound-change *sp- > f-), or (3) a later loan from Lat. far(īna) 'flour, spelt'. H. considers the case 'not decidable'.
  • Orel, Vladimir: 93
    S.v. Alb. farë 'seed, semen, kin', from Proto-Albanian *sparā < PIE *sporā, closely connected to Gk. fem. σπορά 'seed', ultimately from PIE *sper- 'to spill, sow' (cf. Gk. σπείρω 'id.', Gk. σπέρμα 'semen, seed').
  • Rix, Helmut: 580
    Cf. s.v. 3. *sper- 'ausstreuen' (IEW 933-4).