METATHESIS and Laryngeals

Dear Cybalisters:

 

Two opinions were recently expressed that I would like to strongly endorse and support:

 

1) the misuse of metathesis: indeed, this is hugely overused as an explanation for resolving discrepancies among words that may be merely similar not cognate. In my own work, I, therefore, never use it *unless* there are clear euphonic reasons for occasioning it (which is almost never);

 

2) the overuse of 'laryngeals' to explain IE forms: Greek dramatists would have been flattered by imitation by this sonus ex machina; and the postulated interactions between various grade root-forms and various coloring 'laryngeals' would delight a madman in their absurd intricacy.

 

Pat 

PATRICK C. RYAN | PROTO-LANGUAGE@...
(501) 227-9947 * 9115 W. 34th St. Little Rock, AR 72204-4441 USA
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"Veit ec at ec hecc, vindgá meiði a netr allar nío,
geiri vndaþr . . . a þeim meiþi, er mangi veit,
hvers hann af rótom renn." (Hávamál 138)