Linguistics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professional linguists and others with an interest in linguistic research and theory. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Michiel de Vaan's Etymological Dictionary of Latin has for PIE:
a̯ei̯os copper
and
a̯eimos imitation, substitute
a̯imea̯ image, copy
All three words seemingly have the same root a̯ei̯-
Are these two words related? Did the word for copper initially mean "fake gold"?
Copper being one of the earliest metals known to humans (it's the main component of bronze), I should rather think that if they are indeed related, there must be a simpler link related to smithery — and, by extension, artifice. We still talk of forgeries.
