A propos du basque *(H)IL

Abstract

Nowadays we are quite sure that the original Basque had the unique form (h)il for both senses of 'moon', 'month', and for those of 'darkness' and 'death'. The root *il, which is really ancient, can be found in non-Indoeuropean languages geographically remote from Basque (Maya, Samoyedo, Yukaguir, Chukche, etc. Now it is time to return to long-range comparsions which are nowadays often looked upon with mistrust. So, next to ,*il the forro kaw 'moon, month' which Bouda had drawn attention to for Huave and which was likened to forros found in the Urals is also found.

It gave the impression that Basque consists of diverse substratae (principally 2) but until now the northern Eurasian substratum and that of Siberia, in part, which extends to the Ameridian languages have been neglected.