Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/népōts

This Proto-Indo-European entry contains reconstructed words 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-Indo-European

Reconstruction

Due to the Greek form ἀνεψιός (anepsiós) some reconstruct an initial laryngeal, rendering the reconstruction *h₂népōt. An alternative theory is that the Greek form reflects a compounded form *sm̥-neptiyos (“co-grandson”), expressing the reciprocity of the relation.

The reconstruction without a laryngeal has been suggested to be derived from *ne (“not”) and *pótis (“master, lord, husband”).

Noun

*(h₂)népōts m or f (oblique stem *(h₂)n̥pt-)

grandson
descendant
(possibly) nephew

Usage notes

The meaning "nephew" is confined to the west and center of the IE world.

Inflection

Athematic, amphikinetic
	singular
nominative	*(h₂)népōts
genitive	*(h₂)n̥ptés
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*(h₂)népōts	*(h₂)népoth₁(e)	*(h₂)népotes
vocative	*(h₂)népot	*(h₂)népoth₁(e)	*(h₂)népotes
accusative	*(h₂)népotm̥	*(h₂)népoth₁(e)	*(h₂)népotm̥s
genitive	*(h₂)n̥ptés	*?	*(h₂)n̥ptóHom
ablative	*(h₂)n̥ptés	*?	*(h₂)n̥ptmós
dative	*(h₂)n̥ptéy	*?	*(h₂)n̥ptmós
locative	(h₂)népot, (h₂)népoti	*?	*(h₂)n̥ptsú
instrumental	*(h₂)n̥ptéh₁	*?	*(h₂)n̥ptbʰí

Coordinate terms

*méh₂tēr
*ph₂tḗr
*dʰugh₂tḗr
*bʰréh₂tēr

*swésōr
*suHnús
*átta

Descendants

Albanian: nip (possibly a Latin loanword)
Balto-Slavic:
- Old Lithuanian: nepuotis
- Slavic: *netьjь (< *neptiyos) (see there for further descendants)
Celtic: *neɸūss
- Old Irish: nia (“sister's son”)
Germanic: *nefô (see there for further descendants)
Hellenic:
- Ancient Greek: ἀνεψιός (anepsiós) (< *sm̥-neptiyos (“co-grandson”) or *h₂népōt)
Indo-Iranian: *nápāts (see there for further descendants)
Italic: *nepōts
- Latin: nepōs (see there for further descendants)

References

Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q., editors (1997) Encyclopedia of Indo-European culture, London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, page 392
Émile Benveniste (1969), Le Vocabulaire des institutions indo-européennes, Paris, Volume I, p. 234