The business of being Indo-European *amended*

Ⓣⓗⓔⓡⓔ ⓘⓢ ⓐ ⓟⓐⓡⓐⓛⓛⓔⓛ ⓑⓔⓣⓦⓔⓔⓝ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓑⓤⓢⓘⓝⓔⓢⓢ ⓞⓕ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓝⓞⓢⓣⓡⓐⓣⓘⓒ ⓗⓔⓡⓘⓣⓐⓖⓔ ⓐⓝⓓ ⓜⓞⓡⓔ ⓥⓔⓡⓣⓘⓒⓐⓛⓛⓨ ⓓⓘⓜⓘⓝⓘⓢⓗⓘⓝⓖ ⓕⓐⓔⓒⓐⓛ ⓤⓝⓟⓛⓔⓐⓢⓐⓝⓣⓝⓔⓢⓢ, ⓦⓗⓔⓡⓔ ⓟⓔⓞⓟⓛⓔ ⓤⓢⓔⓓ ⓣⓞ ⓟⓡⓔⓕⓔⓡ ⓢⓔⓔⓘⓝⓖ ⓣⓗⓔⓜⓢⓔⓛⓥⓔⓢ ⓐⓢ ⓐⓦⓐⓨ ⓕⓡⓞⓜ ⓕⓐⓔⓒⓔⓢ⃝   ;⃝ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓝⓐⓜⓔ ⓞⓕ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓖⓐⓜⓔ ⓘⓝ ⒾⒺ     &⃝ Ⓝⓞⓢⓣⓡⓐⓣⓘⓒ ⓘⓢ ⓡⓔⓐⓛⓛⓨ ⓐⓑⓞⓤⓣ ⓣⓡⓐⓝⓢⓒⓔⓝⓓⓔⓝⓒⓔ   .⃝ Ⓜⓞⓡⓔⓞⓥⓔⓡ    ,⃝ ⓟⓔⓞⓟⓛⓔ ⓦⓗⓞ ⓓⓞ ⓣⓗⓔⓘⓡ ⓑⓐⓣⓗⓡⓞⓞⓜ     ”⃝ⓑⓤⓢⓘⓝⓔⓢⓢ    ”⃝ ⓦⓘⓣⓗ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓜⓞⓢⓣ ⓔⓐⓢⓔ ⓐⓡⓔ ⓐ ⓚⓔⓨ ⓜⓐⓝⓘⓕⓔⓢⓣⓐⓣⓘⓞⓝ ⓞⓕ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓝⓞⓢⓣⓡⓐⓣⓘⓒ ⓗⓔⓡⓘⓣⓐⓖⓔ ⓑⓔⓨⓞⓝⓓ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓛⓐⓝⓖⓤⓐⓖⓔⓢ ⓣⓗⓔⓜⓢⓔⓛⓥⓔⓢ ⓐⓝⓓ ⓜⓞⓡⓔ ⓒⓞⓝⓒⓡⓔⓣⓔ ⓘⓝⓗⓔⓡⓘⓣⓔⓓ ⓒⓤⓢⓣⓞⓜⓢ    .⃝ Ⓗⓞⓦⓔⓥⓔⓡ    ,⃝ ⓘⓣ    ’⃝ⓢ ⓦⓞⓡⓣⓗ ⓝⓞⓣⓘⓝⓖ ⓣⓗⓐⓣ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓣⓐⓛⓛⓔⓢⓣ ⓒⓘⓣⓨ ⓢⓚⓨⓛⓘⓝⓔ ⓘⓝ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓦⓞⓡⓛⓓ ⓘⓢ ⓝⓞⓣ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓑⓤⓣ Ⓗⓞⓝⓖ Ⓚⓞⓝⓖ    ,⃝ ⓦⓗⓘⓒⓗ ⓘⓢ Ⓒⓗⓘⓝⓔⓢⓔ    .⃝ Ⓟⓡⓔⓥⓘⓞⓤⓢⓛⓨ ⓘⓝ Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔ    ,⃝ ⓟⓔⓞⓟⓛⓔ ⓗⓐⓓ ⓐ ⓗⓐⓑⓘⓣ ⓞⓕ ⓣⓗⓡⓞⓦⓘⓝⓖ ⓣⓞⓘⓛⓔⓣ ⓦⓐⓢⓣⓔ ⓞⓤⓣ ⓘⓝⓣⓞ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓢⓣⓡⓔⓔⓣⓢ    .⃝ Ⓓⓘⓓ ⓣⓗⓘⓢ ⓗⓐⓟⓟⓔⓝ ⓘⓝ ⓞⓣⓗⓔⓡ ⓟⓐⓡⓣⓢ ⓞⓕ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓦⓞⓡⓛⓓ ⓣⓞⓞ    ?⃝ Ⓗⓞⓦⓔⓥⓔⓡ ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓞⓝ ⓣⓗⓘⓢ ⓦⓐⓢ Ⓘ ⓓⓞⓝ    ’⃝ⓣ ⓚⓝⓞⓦ    .⃝ Ⓡⓔⓜⓘⓝⓓⓘⓝⓖ ⓤⓢ    ,⃝ ⓞⓕ ⓒⓞⓤⓡⓢⓔ    ,⃝ ⓣⓗⓐⓣ ⓣⓗⓔ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓣⓔⓜⓟⓛⓐⓣⓔ ⓘⓢ ⓕⓐⓡ ⓕⓡⓞⓜ ⓘⓝⓕⓐⓛⓛⓘⓑⓛⓔ    .⃝ Ⓘⓢ ⓣⓗⓘⓢ ⓗⓐⓑⓘⓣ ⓤⓝ    -⃝Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ    ?⃝ Ⓘⓝ ⓐ ⓦⓐⓨ    ,⃝ ⓘⓣ ⓢⓣⓘⓛⓛ ⓢⓗⓞⓦⓢ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓦⓘⓢⓓⓞⓜ ⓘⓝ ⓐⓒⓣⓘⓞⓝ    ,⃝ ⓦⓘⓣⓗ ⓣⓞⓘⓛⓔⓣ ⓦⓐⓢⓣⓔ ⓑⓔⓘⓝⓖ ⓓⓔⓐⓛⓣ ⓦⓘⓣⓗ ⓥⓔⓡⓣⓘⓒⓐⓛⓛⓨ    ,⃝ ⓑⓤⓣ ⓞⓑⓥⓘⓞⓤⓢⓛⓨ ⓝⓞⓣ ⓢⓞ ⓢⓐⓣⓘⓢⓕⓐⓒⓣⓞⓡⓘⓛⓨ ⓔⓣⓗⓘⓒⓐⓛⓛⓨ ⓓⓘⓜⓘⓝⓘⓢⓗⓔⓓ    .⃝ Ⓣⓗⓔⓡⓔ ⓘⓢ ⓖⓞⓞⓓ ⓜⓞⓝⓔⓨ ⓣⓞ ⓑⓔ ⓜⓐⓓⓔ ⓕⓡⓞⓜ ⓟⓛⓞⓤⓖⓗⓘⓝⓖ ⓣⓗⓘⓢ ⓣⓡⓔⓝⓓ    ,⃝ ⓝⓞⓣ ⓞⓕ ⓣⓗⓡⓞⓦⓘⓝⓖ ⓦⓐⓢⓣⓔ ⓘⓝⓣⓞ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓢⓣⓡⓔⓔⓣⓢ ⓑⓤⓣ ⓥⓔⓡⓣⓘⓒⓐⓛⓛⓨ ⓓⓘⓜⓘⓝⓘⓢⓗⓘⓝⓖ ⓕⓐⓔⓒⓐⓛ ⓤⓝⓟⓛⓔⓐⓢⓐⓝⓣⓝⓔⓢⓢ    ,⃝ⓐⓝⓓ ⓣⓗⓘⓢ ⓘⓢ ⓐ ⓓⓔⓕⓘⓝⓘⓝⓖ ⓕⓐⓒⓣⓞⓡ ⓞⓕ ⓡⓔⓒⓔⓝⓣ ⓖⓛⓞⓑⓐⓛ ⓓⓔⓥⓔⓛⓞⓟⓜⓔⓝⓣ    .⃝ Ⓕⓐⓒⓣ    .⃝ Ⓓⓞⓝ    ’⃝ⓣ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓙⓤⓢⓣ ⓛⓞⓥⓔ ⓣⓞ ⓑⓔ ⓔⓛⓔⓥⓐⓣⓔⓓ ⓐⓦⓐⓨ ⓕⓡⓞⓜ ⓕⓐⓔⓒⓐⓛ ⓞⓓⓞⓤⓡ    ?⃝

Ⓜⓔⓐⓝⓦⓗⓘⓛⓔ    ,⃝ Ⓛⓞⓤⓘⓢ Ⓥⓤⓘⓣⓣⓞⓝ ⓘⓢ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓦⓞⓡⓛⓓ    ’⃝ⓢ ⓜⓞⓢⓣ ⓛⓤⓒⓡⓐⓣⓘⓥⓔ ⓛⓤⓧⓤⓡⓨ ⓑⓡⓐⓝⓓ    ,⃝ ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓛⓐⓝⓖⓤⓐⓖⓔⓢ ⓐⓡⓔ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓦⓞⓡⓛⓓ    ’⃝ⓢ ⓛⓐⓡⓖⓔⓢⓣ ⓛⓐⓝⓖⓤⓐⓖⓔ ⓕⓐⓜⓘⓛⓨ    .⃝ Ⓘⓝⓓⓔⓔⓓ    ,⃝ Ⓛⓞⓤⓘⓢ Ⓥⓤⓘⓣⓣⓞⓝ ⓘⓢ ⓚⓘⓝⓓ ⓞⓕ ⓐⓝ ⓤⓛⓣⓘⓜⓐⓣⓔ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓜⓐⓝⓘⓕⓔⓢⓣⓐⓣⓘⓞⓝ    ,⃝ ⓟⓐⓡⓣⓛⓨ ⓔⓧⓟⓛⓐⓘⓝⓘⓝⓖ ⓦⓗⓨ ⓘⓣ    ’⃝ⓢ ⓠⓤⓘⓣⓔ ⓢⓞ ⓛⓤⓒⓡⓐⓣⓘⓥⓔ    .⃝ Ⓐⓢ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓦⓞⓡⓛⓓ ⓓⓔⓥⓔⓛⓞⓟⓢ ⓘⓝ ⓢⓞ ⓜⓐⓝⓨ ⓓⓘⓕⓕⓔⓡⓔⓝⓣ ⓦⓐⓨⓢ    ,⃝ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓢⓟⓔⓐⓚⓔⓡⓢ     -⃝ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓛⓞⓤⓘⓢ Ⓥⓤⓘⓣⓣⓞⓝ ⓘⓝⓢⓘⓓⓔⓡⓢ ⓐⓝⓓ ⓒⓤⓢⓣⓞⓜⓔⓡⓢ    -⃝ ⓦⓘⓛⓛ ⓑⓔ ⓛⓘⓖⓗⓣⓘⓝⓖ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓦⓐⓨ    ,⃝ ⓣⓗⓐⓝⓚⓢ ⓣⓞ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓣⓗⓔⓞⓡⓘⓔⓢ ⓑⓔⓗⓘⓝⓓ Ⓘⓝⓓⓞ    -⃝Ⓔⓤⓡⓞⓟⓔⓐⓝ ⓟⓗⓞⓝⓞ    -⃝ⓜⓞⓡⓟⓗⓞ    -⃝ⓛⓔⓧⓘⓒⓞⓛⓞⓖⓨ    .⃝

ɪɴᴅᴏ-ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴꜱ ʟɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ… ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ʜᴇʀᴏ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛɪɴɢ ɪɴᴅᴏ-ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴ ᴡᴏʀᴅ. “ʜᴇʀᴏ” ᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴇᴋ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ἭΡΩΣ ʜĒʀŌꜱ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴍɪɢᴏᴅ ᴏʀ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏꜱꜱɪʙʟʏ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ “ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ” ᴏʀ “ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴᴅᴇʀ”. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴘᴀꜱꜱᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴇɴɢʟɪꜱʜ ᴠɪᴀ ʟᴀᴛɪɴ. ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ɪɴ ᴇɴɢʟɪꜱʜ, “ʜᴇʀᴏ” ᴅᴇɴᴏᴛᴇꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇᴏᴜꜱ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴏʀᴍꜱ ᴀᴄᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ɪᴍᴍᴇɴꜱᴇ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴠᴇꜱ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟ ɪɴᴅᴏ-ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴꜱ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀɪꜱᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴜꜱ ᴀᴅᴍɪʀᴀʙʟᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴍᴀɴʏ ɪɴᴅᴏ-ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴꜱ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢᴏ ᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀʀʙᴏᴜʀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʟᴜꜱᴛ, ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟɪᴘ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ɪɴᴅᴏ-ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴ ᴡᴏʀᴅ “ʜᴇʀᴏ”. ɪɴ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ɢʀᴇᴇᴄᴇ, ᴀ “ʜĒʀŌꜱ” ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ʜᴇʀᴏɪᴄ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴀɴᴄᴇꜱᴛʀʏ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴏꜰᴛᴇɴ ᴡᴏʀꜱʜɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ꜰᴏʀ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ ʜᴇʀᴀᴄʟᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴢᴇᴜꜱ. “ʜĒʀŌꜱ” ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ꜱɪᴍᴘʟʏ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴀ “ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ” ᴏʀ “ᴍᴀɴ”. ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴇᴋ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ɪꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ᴅᴇʀɪᴠᴇᴅ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʟᴅᴇʀ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴏ-ɪɴᴅᴏ-ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴ ʀᴏᴏᴛ *ꜱᴇʀ-, ᴍᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇxᴛ “ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ” ᴏʀ “ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴏᴠᴇʀ”. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴛɪɴ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ꜱᴇʀᴠᴏ (“ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ”) ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴇᴋ ɢᴏᴅᴅᴇꜱꜱ ʜᴇʀᴀ.

Suggested meanings for PIE *ser- :

• Root 1: to flow
  • Latin: serum = serum, whey
    • From Proto-Italic *serom (“liquid”), from Proto-Indo-European *sér-o- (“flowing, liquid”), from *ser- (“to flow, run”); cognate with Sanskrit सर (sará, “flowing”), सार (sā́ra, “curd, cream”), सारण (sāraṇa, “flowing, buttermilk”), and Ancient Greek ὀρός (orós, “whey, curd, semen”).

• Root 2: to guard, take care; to take care of
  • Latin: servō
• Root 3: to bind, tie together; thread
  • Latin: seriēs (“row, series”), sermō (“conversation”)
  • English: assert, desert, dissertation, exert, insert, series, sermon, sorcerer, sort
• Root 4: to take, to grasp, to seize; to steal, plunder; booty
  • Ancient Greek: αἱρέω (hairéō)
  • Hittite: 𒊭𒀀𒊒 (sāru, “booty, plunder”)
  • Proto-Celtic: *serwā (“theft, plundering”)