Week 7: Balto-Slavic

Question 1

Week 7: Balto-Slavic

Recap: Grassman’s Law in Sanskrit and Greek

Answer 1

Sanskrit:
DhVDh > DVDh

Greek:
DhVDh > TVTh

Question 2

Week 7: Balto-Slavic

What languages belong to the Balto-Slavic language tree?

Answer 2

Lithuanian (16th c. CE)
Latvian
Old Prussian
Old Church Slavonic (10th c. CE)

Question 3

Week 7: Balto-Slavic

What are the differences between Satəm and Centum languages?

BONUS:
What do Satəm and Centum mean in what languages?

Answer 3

In Satəm languages, the palatovelar in PIE changed into a regular palatal (sibilant).
Example: PIE *ḱ [kʲ] > s [s] or [ʃ]

In Centum languages, the palatovelar in PIE changed into a regular velar.
Example: PIE *ḱ [kʲ] > k [k]

BONUS:
They both mean ‘Hundred’. Satəm is in Avestan, Centum in Latin.

Question 4

Week 7: Balto-Slavic

What happened to Labiovelars in PIe in Satem languages?

Answer 4

Labiovelars in PIE became regular velars in Satem languages.

Example: *kʷ > *k

Question 5

Week 7: Balto-Slavic

What IE languages belong in the Satəm category? (4)

Answer 5

• Indo-Iranian
• Balto-Slavic
• Armenian
• Albanian

Question 6

Week 7: Balto-Slavic

What IE languages belong in the Centum category?

Answer 6

All IE languages except the Satəm languages. Hittite belongs in the Centum category as well, although no translation for ‘hundred’ was found in this language. Tocharian (B) is the most eastern Centum language.