Two Synonymous Adjectives: νεογνός and νεογῑλός/νεογιλλός (“Newborn”)
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This paper refutes the hypothesis which links the Greek adjective νεογιλ(λ)ός, “newborn” with the Lithuanian verb žindù, žįsti, “to suckle.” This analysis confronts certain phonological and morphological difficulties: the phonological form of the root and the suffix is unclear and the presence of the nasal in the whole paradigm of the Baltic verb is unexplained. More importantly, this occurrence of νεο- in Homer is the only instance in composition which does not carry the meaning of “lately” and the alleged semantic evolution for the compound is unconvincing. Given the variations of its suffix, it is possible to explain νεογιλ(λ)ός as an expressive or familiar word, probably coined on a dissimilated form of the adjective νεογνός, which is synonymous with νεογιλ(λ)ός and has been proven to be ancient.
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