Talk:figeu

Is this cognate with Italian figlio:, from Latin filius:? —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 19:26, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
 * More likely . — Ungoliant (Falai) 20:19, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
 * Bloody diminutives. I hedged it with "ultimately". —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 20:23, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
 * I think it’s safe to assume it’s from filiolus because Italian tovagliolo = Ligurian tovageu. Do you agree? — Ungoliant (Falai) 20:29, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
 * Well... not necessarily. The way I interpret it, the ge is Ligurian's "L2" phonological reflex, cognate with Italian's gli, Spanish's ll, Portuguese's lh, etc. The standard Latin diminutive suffix system happens to tend to set up such a situation that L2 has to occur, but just because it occurs in final positions doesn't mean that that's what did happen. I think the liu in filius wuld have been commonly pronounced as something like in Latin, and that could lead to  etc without having to go through a diminutive form.


 * I leave it to you to decide whether I'm a madman on a phonological rant or if there's actually any sober support for this belief. —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 20:43, 24 November 2012 (UTC)


 * The problem with a derivation directly from filius is the accent. Figeu’s accent is in the last syllable, which is explained by the loss of intervocalic /l/ (Italian menola, Ligurian ménoa; isola, îsoa) and subsequent merging of syllables (fagiolo, fageu; canale, canâ). — Ungoliant (Falai) 20:59, 24 November 2012 (UTC)
 * I can't find a hole in that logic, especially given the macron in fīlius. Alright, you win (for now) :) —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 21:10, 24 November 2012 (UTC)