Remarks on Inner-Tocharian Borrowing and the Etymology of Tocharian A lek ‘shape; gesture’, B lek* ‘gesture’

Abstract

After discussing some thus far unknown examples of inner-Tocharian borrowing processes with direction TA >> TB, the present paper argues that also the substantive B lek* ‘gesture’ represents a loanword from Tocharian A, in particular from the Tocharian A form lek ‘shape; gesture’. Under the assumption of a semantic development ‘equality, identity, correspondence’ ⇒ ‘figure, shape’ ⇒ ‘gesture’ – for which parallels are available –, A lek is etymologically connected with the independently reconstructable root PIE *leig-‘(be[come]) equal’ and thus traced back to a nominal pre-form *lóig-u- or *lóig-o-.