boukólos rule

Meaning

Noun

• A rule of the Proto-Indo-European reconstructed language that states that a labiovelar stop (*kʷ, *gʷ, *gʷʰ) dissimilates to an ordinary velar stop (*k, *g, *gʰ) next to the vowel *u or its corresponding glide *w.

Origin

• The rule is named after an example of such a dissimilation: the Ancient Greek βουκόλος ("cowherd"), which is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷowkólos, from *gʷṓws + *kʷólos.