(A) I have already given my reasons for
regarding satemisation as an irreversible process. Quite apart from which, I
don't see any compelling reasons for the grouping of Germanic with Balto-Slavic
(or the Satemic cluster in general) in genetic terms. The affinities usually
cited are either North European areal traits or trivial parallels that are
too common cross-linguistically to indicate genetic relationship. The most
interesting resemblances (such as *-m- vs. *-bH- endings and
adjectival declensions) have been discussed on this list before.
(B) Any variable, including differently
regularised paradigms, can become a shibboleth provided that people are
aware of it. In Irish English, the standard name of the letter H is
"haitch", but in Protestant communities "aitch" is preferred to that Catholic
deformation.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2001 1:02 PM
Subject: [tied] Re: Satem shift
(A) It's nice to hear that I've produced something useful. Could that
also serve as an explanation of the proposed re-centumisation of Germanic?
(B) But I was also thinking also of the idea that
shibboleths arise first within inflexion patterns which are then regularized
differently within different sociological groups, and then become
shibboleths...