Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₃merǵ-

This Proto-Indo-European entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Indo-European

Root

*h₃merǵ-^[1]^[2]

to wipe off, wipe clean

Alternative reconstructions

*h₂merǵ-^[3]^[4]
*merǵ-^[5]

Reconstruction notes

Securely attested only in Indo-Iranian and Greek. Reconstructions with initial *h₂ are based on the inclusion of Ancient Greek ἀμέργω (amérgō), though it is unclear how to reconcile the different vocalisms.

Derived terms

Terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃merǵ- (3 c, 0 e)

*h₃mḗrǵ-ti ~ *h₃mérǵ-n̥ti (Narten-type athematic root present)^[3]
- Proto-Indo-Iranian: *Hmā́ršti ~ *Hmárȷ́ati
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan:
    - Sanskrit: मार्ष्टि (mā́rṣṭi, “to wipe, cleanse”), मृजन्ति (mṛjánti, 3pl.) (with zero-grade weak stem)
  - Proto-Iranian:
    - Avestan: 𐬨𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬰𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (mar^əzaⁱti, “to wipe, rub”) (thematized from weak stem)

*h₃mr̥-né-ǵ-ti ~ *h₃mr̥-n-ǵ-énti (nasal-infix present)^[3]
- Proto-Hellenic:
  - ⇒ Ancient Greek: ὀμόργνῡμῐ (omórgnūmi, “to wipe (tears)”)
- Proto-Indo-Iranian: *Hmr̥nášti ~ *Hmr̥nȷ́ánti
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan: *Hmr̥náṣṭi ~ *Hmr̥njánti
    - Vedic Sanskrit: मृञ्जत (mṛñjata, 3pl.inj.med.)

? *h₃mḗrǵ-s-t ~ *h₃mérǵ-s-n̥t (s-aorist)^[3]
- Proto-Hellenic:
  - Ancient Greek: ὀμόρξαι (omórxai, aor.inf.) (or secondary formation with vocalism from ὀμόργνῡμῐ (omórgnūmi)^[2])
- Proto-Indo-Iranian:
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan:
    - Sanskrit: अमार्क्षीत् (amārkṣīt) (or secondary formation from the lengthened-grade root present)

*h₃morǵ-éye-ti (eye-iterative)^[3]
- Proto-Indo-Iranian: *Hmarȷ́áyati
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan: *Hmarȷ́áyati
    - Sanskrit: मर्जयति (marjáyati)

*h₃mr̥ǵ-(h₁)sé-ti (zero-grade desiderative)
- >? Proto-Indo-Iranian: *Hmr̥ćšati
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan: *Hmr̥ṭṣati
    - Sanskrit: मृक्षति (mṛkṣati, “to rub, smear”)

*h₃mr̥ǵ-tó-s
- Proto-Indo-Iranian: *Hmr̥štás
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan: *Hmr̥ṣṭás
    - Sanskrit: मृष्ट (mṛṣṭá)

Unsorted formations:
- Proto-Balto-Slavic:
  - >? Lithuanian: márška (“net for fish”)
- Proto-Italic: *merga
  - >? Latin: mergae pl (“two-pronged fork”)^[6]
- Proto-Indo-Iranian:
  - Proto-Indo-Aryan:
    - >? Sanskrit: मृश् (mṛś, “to touch, stroke”) (or from a different root)

Descendants

Sanskrit: मृज् (mṛj)

References

^ Mallory, J. P., Adams, D. Q., editors (1997), “*h₃merǵ-”, in Encyclopedia of Indo-European culture, London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, page 646
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ὀμόργνυμι”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1079
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 Rix, Helmut, editor (2001), “*h₂merĝ-⁰”, in Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben [Lexicon of Indo-European Verbs] (in German), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, →ISBN, pages 280-281
^ Kölligan, Daniel (2017–2018) “Chapter XX: Proto-Indo-European”, in Klein, Jared S., Joseph, Brian D., Fritz, Matthias, editors, Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics: An International Handbook (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft [Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science]; 41.2), Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, →ISBN, § The lexicon of Proto-Indo-European, page 2251: “*h₂merĝ-”
^ Pokorny, Julius (1959) “1. merg̑-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 738
^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 375

[1] Mallory, J. P., Adams, D. Q., editors (1997), “*h₃merǵ-”, in Encyclopedia of Indo-European culture, London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, page 646

[Beekes-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ὀμόργνυμι”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1079

[LIV-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 Rix, Helmut, editor (2001), “*h₂merĝ-⁰”, in Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben [Lexicon of Indo-European Verbs] (in German), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, →ISBN, pages 280-281

[4] Kölligan, Daniel (2017–2018) “Chapter XX: Proto-Indo-European”, in Klein, Jared S., Joseph, Brian D., Fritz, Matthias, editors, Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics: An International Handbook (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft [Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science]; 41.2), Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, →ISBN, § The lexicon of Proto-Indo-European, page 2251: “*h₂merĝ-”

[5] Pokorny, Julius (1959) “1. merg̑-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 738

[6] De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 375

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