sók-r̥/n-

Cognates of the Hittite substantive šakkar/šakn- n. ‘excrement’ can be posited for Luwian and Lydian, from which CLuw. šaknuwant(i)- ‘defiled, impure’ and  Lyd. saknaki-^(d) ‘to defile’ have been derived. The Lydian cognate was accepted by HEG S:719, but left unmentioned in EDHIL:699. Taking this evidence into consideration, a Proto-Anatolian heteroclitic stem *sók-r̥/n- can be reconstructed. An acrostatic paradigm *sók-r̥/sék-n- has been posited based on other Indo-European languages (see Rieken 1999a:295 with further literature), in which case the o-grade would have been generalized (as seen in Hittite and Lydian). Differently, Kloekhorst (EDHIL:699f.) reconstructs a different type of ablauting paradigm with accent o-grade in the strong stem and a zero-grade of the root in the weak stems with accent on the ending. The type of paradigmatic ablaut cannot be decided based on Anatolian only. Furthermore, the root-final velar cannot have been palatalized (contra Rieken:ibid., EDHIL:ibid.), which would yield a different outcome in Luwian (*k̂ > Luw. z). For a summary of the literature see HEG S:719-721 and for traces of an old amphikinetic collective paradigm in Hittite zašgaraiš n. ‘anus’ see Rieken 1999a:295f.

[D.S.]

According to EIEC:186, PIE *sók/k̑-r/n- means ‘(human) excrement’. Besides, there is PIE *k̑ók^u̯-r/n- n. ‘excrement, dung, manure’ (cf. e.g. IEW:544): “The two words may have been distinguished in that *sók̑r̥ primarily referred to human excrement while *k̑ók^wr̥ denoted the agriculturally usable animal dung” (EIEC:186). For further words with similar meanings, cf. EIEC:186f.

As far as the stem formation is concerned, Hitt. šakkar, gen. šaknaš n. ‘excrement, ordure, dirt’ and Gk. σκῶρ, gen. σκατός n. ‘dung, ordure’ suggest the reconstruction of an r/n-stem PIE *sók/k̑-r/n- (Hitt. šakkar/šakn-), *sk/k̑-ō̆r-/*sk/k̑-n-´ (Gk. σκῶρ/σκα-τ-´, Hitt. za-šgar-aiš ‘anus’ [*‘excrement-mouth’, cf. EIEC:186], PGerm. *skar-na-). Russ. sor, Latv. sãrņi and YAv. sairiia- might be related as well and would point to a stem *sk̑-o/er- with palatal k̑. Lat. mūscerdae (if from *mūs-scer-d°) and Skt. av/pa-skar-a- (if related) could be based on an e-grade stem *sk-er-.

As for the distribution of the different stem forms, it is a widely held view that the starting point is an original acrostatic paradigm *sók/k̑-r̥/*sék/k̑-n- (Rieken 1999a:295 Fn. 1411), which is reflected quite well by Hitt. šakkar/šakn- < *sók/k̑-r̥/*sok/k̑-n-, with generalization of the o-grade root throughout the paradigm. The acrostatic weak stem *sék/k̑-n- served as the derivational base of an amphikinetic collective *sék/k̑-ōr/*sk/k̑-n-´ (Rieken 1999a:295f.), which, with generalization of the zero-grade root of the weak stem, is preserved by Gk. σκῶρ, gen. σκα-τ-ός (< *sk/k̑-n̥-t-´). However, there are also forms pointing to a stem *sk/k̑-o/er- with short o/e-vowel.

The root etymology of PIE *s(o)k/k̑-(o)r/n- is not clear and depends, among other things, on the question whether the noun is to be reconstructed with a velar k or a palatal k̑. Accordingly, different root connections have been proposed so far, cf. EIEC:186 and NIL:627 n. 1, each with further lit.

[T.S.]

?Skt. avaskara- m. ‘excrements’ (Pāṇ., Mbh, et al.) beside apaskara- m. ‘excrements’ (Vet.), ‘anus, vulva’ (Lex.);Cf. e.g. NIL:626f. with n. 6 and lit. ?YAv. sairiia- n. ‘dung’Cf. e.g. Bartholomae 1979a:1567f. s.v., KEWA I:38 s.v. apaskaraḥ.

?ON skarn n., OE scearn n., OFris. skern m./n., etc. ‘dung, muck’< PGerm. *skarna- n. ‘dung, muck’; cf. e.g. EDPG:440, NIL:626, 628 n. 7 with lit.

?Latv. sãrņi m. pl. ‘slag, excrement; menstruation’Cf. e.g. IEW:948, EDPG:440 s.v. *skarna-.

?Russ. sor, gen. sóra m. ‘dung’, ?OCS sĭrati ‘to defecate’, ?Russ. serú (srat’) ‘to defecate’Cf. e.g. Trautmann 1923a:303 s.v. šerō, Vasmer II:696f. s.v. сoр I. and 711 s.v. срaть, IEW:948, LIV²:327 s.v. *k̑er(H)-.

Gk. σκῶρ, gen. σκατός n. ‘dung, ordure’ (Epich., Aristoph.), Dor. σκώρ; cf. also σκωρία f. ‘dross of metal, slag’Cf. e.g. NIL:626, 628 n. 8–10 with further lit.

?mūscerdae f. pl. ‘mouse droppings’ (Plin., Fest.)Cf. e.g. EDLIL:109 s.v. -cerda with further lit.