Eine etymologische Bemerkung zu ἀνεψιός

Abstract

It is proposed to derive Greek ἀνεψιός ‘cousin’ < *sm̥ -neptijo- from an otherwise unattested lexeme *sm̥ -nep(o)t-. Both terms may originally have meant ‘cousinʼ, the latter being understood from the perspective of another cousin (thus literally ‘co-grandsonʼ), the former from the perspective of those outside the group (thus ‘one of the co-grandsons/cousinsʼ). The absence of the spiritus asper in ἀνεψιός, which like ἀδελφός ‘siblingʼ or ἄλοχος ‘wife‘ belongs to the group of compounds with the ‘irregularʼ change *sm̥ - > ἀ-, may be explained within the paradigm of lexical diffusion.