*h3 > h1, *h2 > h1 eta horiei datxezkien zenbait fenomenoz

Abstract

The etymological value of / h / in Basque, especially when occurring in initial position, has been widely debated. Here we try to show that there are many instances of h- (not only in borrowings but also in patrimonial vocabulary) that have not been arbitrarily added in that position but they have moved there from intervocalic -n- (sometimes on the onset of the second syllable, other times on that of the third one) and, therefore, they have an etymological value. Our analysis is based on the canonical form of roots and morphemes, and moves away from atomistic approaches which are limited to borrowings.The analysis of movement to initial position from its original location and of its interrelation and combinations with other sounds in different positions previous to that one reached in the end by those instances of h- can help us shed some light on the structure of old Basque words (especially of their left part). We also believe that our understanding of the extension of the canonical form of the roots (from monosyllabic to bisyllabic) and other transformations undergone by root patterns can largely benefit from the analysis proposed here. Thus, we propose some etymologies for a number of old words, some of which are completely novel whereas others constitute modifications of older proposals. We also point out old borrowings that were not detected before, and we stress the value of such etymologies in the elaboration of a chronology of the phonetic changes that affect / h / and other related sounds.