[Spellyans] Need, want

[Michael Everson]

On 4 Apr 2009, at 12:57, Michael Everson wrote:

Dan has:
othom [ˈɔθəm] (m.), othomow [ɔˈθɔmɔʊ] need, want

Nance gives:
ethom, ethomow, He cross references from othom to ethom.

Gendall gives:
othom [ˈɐθəm] with no pl., citing oathom TB,WH, ortham JB. He does  
not pre-occlude in othomak 'needy'. Note the voiceless spirant.

Kennedy gives:
oadhom, no pl., and pre-occludes in oadhobmak 'needy'. Voiced spirant.

George's entry in GKK is as arcane as anything:
edhomm {1:MLP:4} MN +ow {1:M:2(ORD)} need, want [C:] {B (ezhomm)} N.B.  
Despite the <zh> in B, this owrd contains [ð] and noth [θ], according  
to HPB para. 936; it became metathesized to othem.

George uses metathesis to give a pair ethom/othem, but there seems to  
be no other evidence for an -e- in the final syllable. If there were  
we would have a familiar distinction othem/othomow.

Still... what's the story?

Michael Everson * http://www.evertype.com/