The Italic Consonant Stem Ablative: Some Comparative and Theoretical Arguments for an Inherited Ending in *-d

The Italic consonant stem ablative in -ĕ is usually regarded as an anomalous instance of locative contamination in the ablative singular case endings. This interpretation has long been recognized as problematic, given that the Italic ablative is functionally the result of syncretism with the Proto-Indo-European instrumental, rather than the locative. In addition, it is difficult to reconcile the traditional view with the early Latin epigraphic evidence, which suggests that the Latin consonant stem ending, like the ablative singular endings of all other declensions, once had a final dental (-ĕd). This paper reviews the evidence for the origin and reconstruction of the Italic consonant stem ablative within the broader context of the early development of the Italic case system. It provides further arguments against the conventional locative etymology, and concludes that the consonant reflex can plausibly be aligned with the regular reflexes in other declensions if it is instead derived from a zero-grade instrumental ending -h̥₁.