Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/mormīkā

This Proto-Italic 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-Italic

Etymology

    From Proto-Indo-European *morwi-, perhaps deformed due to taboo.[1] Compare especially वल्मीक (valmī́ka, “anthill”) and its cognates, such as Proto-Nuristani *wřammíkā (“ant”); more at Proto-Indo-Iranian *marwíš.

    Noun

    *mormīkā f

    1. ant

    Declension

    Declension of *mormīkā (ā-stem)
    singular plural
    nominative *mormīkā *mormīkās
    vocative *mormīka *mormīkās
    accusative *mormīkam *mormīkans
    genitive *mormīkās *mormīkāzom
    dative *mormīkāi *mormīkais
    ablative *mormīkād *mormīkais
    locative *mormīkāi *mormīkais

    Reconstruction notes

    The form presented here is reconstructed based on the assumption of Proto-Indo-European derivation, but it is not known at what stage the presumed change *m > *f took place. However, if Latin formica has a different etymology, such as a substrate relation to Ancient Greek ὅρμικας (hórmikas, “ants”), then *mormīkā did not exist.

    Descendants

    • Latin: formica (see there for further descendants)

    References

    1. ^ 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 234
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