*k̑Er(-eh₂)-u̯r̥/un-

The combined evidence of CLuw. SI-n- ‘horn’, zarwani(ya)- ‘of the horn’, HLuw. (“CORNU”)zú+ra/i-ni /zurni/ ‘drinking horns’ and Hitt. karāwar/un- ‘horn’ allows us to reconstruct a formation in *-u̯er/un- derived from the root *k̑er- (HEG I-K:500-502, EDHIL:446; cf. HED K:78). In Hittite, the formation in *-u̯er/un- is preceded by *-eh₂-, a collective ending, which becomes part of a productive suffix conglomerate -āwar/n- < *-eh₂-u̯r̥/n- (Rieken 1999a:349). In the Luwian formation, however, the suffix -u̯r̥/un- is attached directly to the root, i.e. *k̑Er-u̯r̥/un-. The phonological development from this pre-form to CLuw. zarwan-i(ya)- is entirely regular, except for the fact that the full-grade vowel of the recte stem -war spread to the oblique stem, while the stem final consonant was leveled in favor of the oblique form with /n/, creating the hybrid form -un- > -wan- of the suffix (cf. Starke 1990a:528f. and the Luwian lexeme guršawan-).

In the HLuw. cognate /zurni/, one notices that the glide of the suffix has disappeared and that the root vowel is /u/. This opens the possibility of seeing some kind of metathesis between the glide and the preceding resonant, where the glide would have colored the preceding vowel, i.e. *zarw(a)n- > zurn- (similarly EDHIL:446).To explain the /u/ as resulting from the vocalic resonant is possible, but less convincing considering the lack of motivation and the combinatory evidence of the data.

Oettinger 2017a:601 suggests instead that the Luwian word goes back to a thematic formation based on the oblique stem of a heteroclitic noun in *-r/n-, i.e. *k̑er-n-ó-. Unfortunately, this hypothesis does not take into account the glide seen in Cuneiform Luwian zarwani(ya)-.

The name of the Luwian stag-god Kurunt(iy)a- has also been connected to the root *k̑er-, for which see Oettinger 2017a with further literature.

[D.S.]

Usually, a nominal root *k̑er- meaning ‘head; horn’ is reconstructed, “with derivatives referring to horned animals, horn-shaped objects, and projecting parts” (Watkins 2000a:40 s.v. ker-¹). Cf. also EIEC:272f.

There is a plethora of nominal formations based on the PIE nominal root *k̑er- ‘head; horn’. An already PIE formation seems to have been the thematic stem *k̑r̥no- ‘horn’, which is preserved in several IE languages – cf. Lat. cornum, PGerm. *χurna- (Goth. haúrn, OHG horn, etc.), PCelt. *karno- (MW carn ‘hoof’, etc.). There is also evidence in favor of one or more – already PIE? – s-stem nouns *k̑(e)rh₂es- n. ‘head; horn’ in Indo-Iranian (Ved. śíras- ‘head’, YAv. sarah- ‘id.’) and Greek (κέρας ‘horn’); cf. furthermore derivatives such as Gk. κάρᾱ n. ‘head’ (< *k̑ŕ̥h₂s-n̥, cf. Hom. κάρηνα nom./acc. pl. n. < *k̑ŕ̥h₂s-n̥-h₂ [≈ Ved. śīrṣā́], cf. Rix 1992a:75), TochB karse ‘± deer, stag’ (< *k̑r̥h₂s-o- ‘having horns’, cf. DTB²:153) as well as words for ‘hornet’ such as Lat. crābrō (< *k̑r̥h₂s-ron-), OLith. širšuõ (< *k̑r̥h₂s-on-), etc.Cf. the thorough discussion in Nussbaum 1986a:248–260. The Anatolian languages point to a u̯er/n-stem noun PAnat. *k̑Er(-eh₂)-u̯r̥/un- (see above sub PAnat. reconstruction), cf. CLuw. SI-n- ‘horn’, zarwani(ya)- ‘of the horn’, HLuw. (“CORNU”)zú+ra/i-ni /zurni/ ‘drinking horns’, and Hitt. karāwar/un- ‘horn’. For further formations based on PIE *k̑er- ‘head; horn’, cf. the extensive and thorough study by Nussbaum 1986a.

[T.S.]

Ved. śíras- n. ‘head, top’ (RV+ [nom./acc. sg. n. śíras, the other case forms being formed from a stem śīrṣán- ‘id.’ in the oldest language: instr. sg. śīrṣṇā́, gen./abl. sg. śīrṣṇás, loc. sg. śīrṣán, etc.);Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a passim, EWAia II:638f. with lit. Ved. śṛ́ṅga- n. ‘horn’ (RV+);Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:2, 9, 11, EWAia II:653, Steer 2019a:43–57, each with further lit. etc.

YAv. sarah- n. ‘head’ (Yt 10.40), MPers. sar, NPers. sar ‘head, top’, etc.Cf., e.g., Bartholomae 1979a:1565, Nussbaum 1986a:19, 64, 111, 139, 142 n. 9, 148f., et al., EWAia II:638f. 

Gk. κάρᾱ, Ep. and Ion. κάρη n. ‘head; peak, top’,Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:1, 19, 21f., 28f., 31, 48, 61, et al., LSJ s.v., GEW I:784f., EDG:641. κέρας n. ‘horn’ (Il.+), Myc. ke-ra-a = /keraha/ nom. pl. n. ‘horns’,Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:1, 19–22, 26–28, 105, et al., LSJ s.v. κέρας, GEW I:826f., EDG:676f. etc.

Arm. sar, -oy ‘peak, high place’Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:111, Olsen 1999a:906.

Lat. cornū, -ūs n. ‘horn’ (Plaut.+), cornum n. ‘id.’ (Ter.+);Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:4, 9, 11, 13, EDLIL:136f. with further lit. cerebrum n. ‘brain’ (Plaut.+);Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:19–21, 221, 235 n. 21, 242f., 249, EDLIL:109 with further lit. cervus m. ‘stag, deer’ (Plaut.+),Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:7, 14, 100 n. 136, 155, EDLIL:111 with further lit. etc.

MW carn ‘hoof’, OBret. carn gl. ‘(Lat.) ungula caballi, horse’s hoof’, etc.;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:5, 10 n. 26, 13, EDPC:190f. Gaul. κάρνυξ ‘trumpet’;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:2 n. 3, 13. OW caru ‘deer’, MW carw ‘id.’, MBret. caru, caro ‘id.’, etc.Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:7, 10 n. 26, 14, 100 n. 136, 155, EDPC:192.

Goth. haúrn n. ‘horn’, ON horn n. ‘id.’, OHG horn n. ‘horn; point, end’, etc.;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:6, Lühr 2000a:103–105, EDPG:259. OHG (h)rind n. ‘cow, bovine’, OS hrīth n. ‘id.’, etc.;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:7, 9, 11, 258, Lühr 2000a:104, EDPG:247f. OHG hirni n. ‘brain’, ON hjarni m. ‘id.’, etc.Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:48, 192f., 217, 219, Lühr 2000a:105, EDPG:221f.

OPr. sirwis ‘roe’;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:8, 100 n. 36, 155. Lith. stìrna f. ‘roe’, Latv. stir͂na ‘id.’;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:8 n. 16, EDBIL:428f., ALEW II:977. OPr. curwis ‘ox’, Lith. kárvė f. ‘cow’Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:8, 14, EDBIL:230, ALEW I:460f.

RuCS srŭna f. ‘roe’, ORuss. sĭrna f. ‘id.’, Russ. sérna f. ‘chamois’, etc.;Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:8, 13, Lühr 2000a:104, EDSIL:485. CS krava f. ‘cow’, Russ. koróva f. ‘id.’, SCr. krȁva f. ‘id.’, etc.Cf., e.g., Nussbaum 1986a:8, 14, Lühr 2000a:104, EDSIL:236.

TochB krāñi(ye) ‘(nape of the) neck’,Cf., e.g., DTB²:230 with discussion and lit. TochB karse ‘± deer, stag’Cf., e.g., DTB²:153 with discussion and lit.