Cognate Set 8405 – Meaning: smooth

IE-CoR reference form:
*(s)lei̯-
IE-CoR reference language:
Proto-Indo-European
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Proposed as cognate to:
*(s)lei̯g̑- [Proto-Indo-European] scale: 0
Justification:
Hellenic, Italic, and Celtic lexemes traditionally reconciled to a basic root *lei̯- 'smooth', although the Celtic forms here may also require s-mobile (cf. (IEW 662-664, Falileyev 2000:103, Matasović 2009:346, Beekes 2010:844, de Vaan 2008:336-337). The Germanic forms derived from PIE *slei̯g̑- 'smear, make smooth' in cognate set 8680 might be an extended form of this root. See further discussion in that cognate class.
Found in clades:
Celtic, Hellenic, Italic
Revised by:
Matthew Scarborough
Found in 3 clades by 10 lexemes.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
124   Latin lēuis ˈɫeːwis ˈleːwis G.sg. lēuis. Not to be confused with minimal pair leuis, -is 'light (in weight)'.
6   Greek: Ancient leĩos λεῖος lêːo̞s lêːo̞s G.sg λείου; λεῖος, λεῖα, λεῖον.
7   Greek: New Testament leĩos λεῖος ˈlio̞s ˈlio̞s
8   Greek: Modern Std leíos λείος ˈlio̞s ˈlio̞s
154   Old Breton limn
151   Welsh: North llyfn ɬɨvn ɬɨvn
160   Gaelic: Manx shliawin ʃlʲaunʲ ʃlʲaunʲ sleamhain
157   Breton: Treger luffr ˈlyf ˈlyf
150   Middle Welsh llyfyn ɬɨvən
153   Late Cornish leven ˈlevən
References
  • Beekes, Robert: 844
    S.v. λεῖος 'smooth', probably from a root PIE * lei̯- 'smooth' with a derived u-stem that has been later thematised, i.e. *lei̯-u̯-o- > *λεῖϝο-, cf. Lat. lēvis 'smooth'.
  • Falileyev, Alexander: 103
    Cf. s.v. Old Welsh limnint (3.pl.pres.) 'to make smooth, polish' [llyfn-], traditionally from PIE *(s)lei- 'schleimig, durch Nässe glitschiger Boden, ausgleiten' (cf. IEW 663).
  • Fleuriot, Léon: 242-243
    OBr. limn gl. lentum 'soft, supple, flexible'. Also in the compounds limn-collin gl. tilia 'lime-tree', limn-collou gl. tiliiae 'lime-trees' (literally: 'soft hazel-tree(s)); gur-limun or gur-limnn gl. diliniti 'softened, corrupted'.
  • Matasović, Ranko: 346
    S.v. Proto-Celtic *slimono- 'polished, smooth', from PIE *slei̯- 'smear (with grease), polish' (cf. Lat. līmō 'polish', OHG slīmen 'polish'). The Proto-Celtic word appears to contain the suffix *-ono- also found in *antono- 'forehead').
  • Pokorny, Julius: 662-664
    Traditionally connected to a common IE root *lei- 'schlemig, durch Nässe glitschiger Boden, ausgleiten, worüber hinschleifen oder -streichen, auch glättend worüber fahren', where the Celtic forms exhibit s-mobile; Lat. & Gk. without.
  • Scarborough, Matthew:
    NB: The usual reconstruction *(s)lei̯- is given for this root. de Vaan (2008:336-337) gives *leh₁-i-u- with *h₁ in order to include a connection to Gk. λίς, λῑτός 'smooth' (adj.), 'smooth linen' (m.) < *liH-t-, but this seems unnecessary from the point of view of Lat. lēvis alone. A PIE u-stem noun *lei̯-u- can account for both the Lat. lēuis and Gk. λεῖος; if one assumes *leh₁i-u̯-o- as a preform for Greek, one might expect *λῇος.
  • de Vaan, Michiel: 336-337
    S.v. Lat. lēvis 'smooth', from PIE *leh₁i-u- 'smooth' (cf. Gk. λεῖος 'level, smooth' < *leh₁-u-o-, λίς, λῑτός 'smooth' (adj.), 'smooth linen' (m.) < *liH-t-), following the derivation of Schrijver (1991:283f.).