bed

[wugi]

Here https://www.etymonline.com/word/bed#etymonline_v_8226
(and here http://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/bed)
is put in doubt a seeming relationship between germanic "bed" and other
IE words such as L. fodere (to dig), Celtic bedd, bez (grave), ...
Because at Germanic times people would since long have abandoned the
practice of sleeping in holes *dug* in the ground.

My question/idea:
The linguistic relationship seems very reasonable and likely indeed, so,
couldn't one explain the "digging" purpose rather in the opposite way? I
mean, not with a view to making a *hole*, but rather to making a small
*mound*.
I find this very plausible:
a bed (of straw, blankets, ...) on a small mound of tamped earth,
a mound for a grave,
a flower bed on a mound of fertile soil,
a mound as a bank of a river bed...

Opinions?

[Daud Deden]

He pitched his tent on the pitcher's mound.

***@Aztec: bed
***@Aztec: to pelt/throw
***@Malay: to pelt/throw

Mbuatla: make (a bed, a hut, a berth)
birth (ex.pel), mound, ***@Hebrew: swelling.

They bedded down in a patch of lillies.

[Daud Deden]

Bed.ger mäyrä mounder/miner

[b***@ihug.co.nz]

Post by wugi
Here https://www.etymonline.com/word/bed#etymonline_v_8226
(and here http://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/bed)
is put in doubt a seeming relationship between germanic "bed" and other
IE words such as L. fodere (to dig), Celtic bedd, bez (grave), ...
Because at Germanic times people would since long have abandoned the
practice of sleeping in holes *dug* in the ground.
The linguistic relationship seems very reasonable and likely indeed, so,
couldn't one explain the "digging" purpose rather in the opposite way? I
mean, not with a view to making a *hole*, but rather to making a small
*mound*.
a bed (of straw, blankets, ...) on a small mound of tamped earth,
a mound for a grave,
a flower bed on a mound of fertile soil,
a mound as a bank of a river bed...
Opinions?
--
guido wugi

Seems reasonable. Reminds me of how 'ditch' and 'dike' are, historically,
the same word.

On "bed", Watkins postulates Proto-Germanic *badjam 'garden plot, also
sleeping place'. OED's etymology (from 1887) suggests an original reference
to animal lairs.

[Daud Deden]

Post by b***@ihug.co.nz

Post by wugi
Here https://www.etymonline.com/word/bed#etymonline_v_8226
(and here http://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/bed)
is put in doubt a seeming relationship between germanic "bed" and other
IE words such as L. fodere (to dig), Celtic bedd, bez (grave), ...
Because at Germanic times people would since long have abandoned the
practice of sleeping in holes *dug* in the ground.
The linguistic relationship seems very reasonable and likely indeed, so,
couldn't one explain the "digging" purpose rather in the opposite way? I
mean, not with a view to making a *hole*, but rather to making a small
*mound*.
a bed (of straw, blankets, ...) on a small mound of tamped earth,
a mound for a grave,
a flower bed on a mound of fertile soil,
a mound as a bank of a river bed...
Opinions?
--
guido wugi

Seems reasonable. Reminds me of how 'ditch' and 'dike' are, historically,
the same word.

Yes, say a trench around the hut/bed.
Pitch & (antler tine-drain) (s)pike, ditch & dike.

Post by b***@ihug.co.nz
On "bed", Watkins postulates Proto-Germanic *badjam 'garden plot, also
sleeping place'. OED's etymology (from 1887) suggests an original reference
to animal lairs.

Yes, badger for instance.

[Christian Weisgerber]

Post by wugi
Here https://www.etymonline.com/word/bed#etymonline_v_8226
(and here http://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/bed)
is put in doubt a seeming relationship between germanic "bed" and other
IE words such as L. fodere (to dig), Celtic bedd, bez (grave), ...
Because at Germanic times people would since long have abandoned the
practice of sleeping in holes *dug* in the ground.

Did such a practice ever exist?? I always wonder how much of such
etymological speculation dates from the 19th century and references
a wildly outdated archaeological understanding.

Etymonline says that the "garden plot" sense is already found in
Old English. This is shared by Old High German "betti" in the
9th/10th century.

Pfeifer mentions the possible connection to "fodere", as well as
one to "bath" by way of 'warm place'. Kluge considers the "fodere"
connection factually indefensible and goes on about a pattern
labial--dental in IE words referring to floor, sole of the foot,
bed, etc. Both concede that the bed word is of uncertain origin.

Post by wugi
The linguistic relationship seems very reasonable and likely indeed, so,
couldn't one explain the "digging" purpose rather in the opposite way? I
mean, not with a view to making a *hole*, but rather to making a small
*mound*.

That is certainly possible.


Something I learned along the way: German has this pair...

Bett /bɛt/ 'bed'
Beet /beːt/ 'garden plot'

... which is frequently used to illustrate a minimal pair.
It turns out that these are etymologically the same word, distinguished
in spelling only since the 17th century.