Some thoughts on the Proto-Indo-European cardinal numbers

This paper takes a fresh look at the reconstruction of the Proto-Indo-European cardinal numbers. Evidence is presented that the earliest form of the number “two” was (in traditional reconstruction) *do- and that the form usually given in the standard handbooks, namely, *duwō/*dwō, was a later borrowing, probably from Northwest Caucasian. Moreover, the earliest form of the number “four” was *Hokh-tho-. It is preserved in the number “eight”, *Hokh-thoH(w), which is a later dual form meaning “two fours”. The forms *meyu- “four”, found in the Anatolian branch, and *kwhéth-wor- “four”, found in the non-Anatolian daughter languages, are both later innovations. Finally, the number “ten”, de-kmo t-, is taken to be an old compound meaning “two hands”, as often suggested in the literature.

Published online: 03 December 2008
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.145.18bom