Diachrony and lexical semantic change of snake-related roots in East Cushitic and Omotic

This thesis investigates the diachronic development of snake-related vocabulary in the East Cushitic and Omotic language families of the Horn of Africa. Concentrating on terms such as 'snake' and 'python', it applies the comparative method to reconstruct roots from the lowest genealogical subgroupings and tease apart semantic and formal innovations from retentions. In doing so, the study also addresses wider comparative challenges, such as borrowing across different branches of both families. The findings reveal recurrent pathways of semantic change: words for 'snake' have developed into meanings such as 'intestinal worm', 'rope', 'python', and 'viper', while roots reconstructed with meanings like 'wild animal', 'rope', 'python', and 'fear' have given rise to terms for 'snake'. Several of the developments align with the conceptual bases underlying euphemistic expressions used in snake-taboo avoidance strategies. Such taboos exist especially at night, which is when some highly...Show moreThis thesis investigates the diachronic development of snake-related vocabulary in the East Cushitic and Omotic language families of the Horn of Africa. Concentrating on terms such as 'snake' and 'python', it applies the comparative method to reconstruct roots from the lowest genealogical subgroupings and tease apart semantic and formal innovations from retentions. In doing so, the study also addresses wider comparative challenges, such as borrowing across different branches of both families. The findings reveal recurrent pathways of semantic change: words for 'snake' have developed into meanings such as 'intestinal worm', 'rope', 'python', and 'viper', while roots reconstructed with meanings like 'wild animal', 'rope', 'python', and 'fear' have given rise to terms for 'snake'. Several of the developments align with the conceptual bases underlying euphemistic expressions used in snake-taboo avoidance strategies. Such taboos exist especially at night, which is when some highly poisonous snakes such as the puff-adder are active. Beyond its specific findings, the study draws attention to the neglected role of semantics in historical reconstruction and highlights the need for more detailed lexical documentation in the languages of the Horn of Africa.Show less

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Diachrony and lexical semantic change of snake-related roots in East Cushitic and Omotic