jasiotr

osëtr `sturgeon' [m o], osetrá [Gens];

osetër (dial.) `sturgeon' [m o]

jesetrъ `sturgeon' [m o];

osetrъ `sturgeon' [m o]

jesiotr `sturgeon' [m o];

jasiotr `sturgeon' [m o]

jesetr (arch.), jasotr (arch.) `sturgeon' [m o]

erškẽtas `sturgeon' [m o];

erškė́tras (dial.) `sturgeon' [m o] 1 \{1\}

Comments: It seems highly plausible that *jesètra is cognate with *jesera `awn, fishbone', Lith. ešerỹs `perch' and that both etyma belong to PIE *h₂ḱ- `sharp', cf. Lat. acipēnser `sturgeon' < *h₂eḱu-. The Baltic forms are not without problems, however. Forms like erškẽtas and erškė́tras were probably influenced by erškė́tis `thorn' (though it must be admitted that a development erškẽtas < eškẽtras is plausible in itself, cf. Toporov II: 89), but it is clear that the original form contained a k, cf. OPr. esketres, which is absent in Lith. ešerỹs. This may be the familiar intrusive velar which in Baltic frequently arose before s or z. In that case we would have to depart from a Baltic protoform *ekśetras.

\{1\} OLith. ešketras `whale' (Bretkūnas) is probably a Prussianism.

osëtr `sturgeon' [m o], osetrá [Gens];

osetër (dial.) `sturgeon' [m o]

jesetrъ `sturgeon' [m o];

osetrъ `sturgeon' [m o]

jesiotr `sturgeon' [m o];

jasiotr `sturgeon' [m o]

jesetr (arch.), jasotr (arch.) `sturgeon' [m o]

erškẽtas `sturgeon' [m o];

erškė́tras (dial.) `sturgeon' [m o] 1 \{1\}

Comments: It seems highly plausible that *jesètra is cognate with *jesera `awn, fishbone', Lith. ešerỹs `perch' and that both etyma belong to PIE *h₂ḱ- `sharp', cf. Lat. acipēnser `sturgeon' < *h₂eḱu-. The Baltic forms are not without problems, however. Forms like erškẽtas and erškė́tras were probably influenced by erškė́tis `thorn' (though it must be admitted that a development erškẽtas < eškẽtras is plausible in itself, cf. Toporov II: 89), but it is clear that the original form contained a k, cf. OPr. esketres, which is absent in Lith. ešerỹs. This may be the familiar intrusive velar which in Baltic frequently arose before s or z. In that case we would have to depart from a Baltic protoform *ekśetras.

\{1\} OLith. ešketras `whale' (Bretkūnas) is probably a Prussianism.