Re: One World Language

From: Simona Klemencic
Message: 1365
Date: 2000-02-04

Christopher wrote:

>I wonder if anyone else saw this article?
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/020100sci-archaeo-language.html

>---------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for the information.
Don Ringe wrote two articles about the factor of chance in comparision of
not necessarily related languages referring directly to Greenberg's and
Illych-Svitych's work.
Ringe is using statistical methods to estimate the expected incidence of
multiple matches. I've got an impression that Ringe's work in this field is
a must for everybody interested in comparing languages not yet proven to be
related. I've also got an impression that Ringe has torn Greenberg to
pieces. Check it:

1) Don Ringe: 'Nostratic' and the factor of chance. Diachronica Vol.12/1,
1995.

2) Don Ringe: How hard it is to match CVC-roots? Transactions of the
Philological society, Vol.97/2, 1999.

lp
Simona
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