[tied] Re: Laryngeal Loss (was Does Koenraad Elst Meet Hock´s Chal

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "P&G" <petegray@...> wrote:

> >Brosnahan, who noted that certain linguistic phenomena like
> > aspiration of initial voiceless occlusives, affrication androunded
> > front vowels showed a high correlation with blood groups.
>
> Since blood groups are not even spread around the world, but are

clustered

> and regional, and since linguistic features are also not evenly

spread, but

> clustered and regional, it is therefore to be expected that there

will a

> "high correlation" between at least some blood groups, and some

linguistic

> features. Any such "high correlation" is therefore statistically
> insignificant.

Since mosquitos are not even spread around the world, but are
clustered and regional, and since mosquito bites are also not evenly
spread, but clustered and regional, it is therefore to be expected
that there will a "high correlation" between at least some mosquitos,
and some mosquito bites. Any such "high correlation" is therefore
statistically insignificant.

Yes?

I'm sure there are some deep thoughts in this, since I don't
understand what you're saying.

>
> This seems at first sight to be another example of the kind of wrong
> thinking that says (for example) the chances of the car in front of

you

> having exactly that number plate, and no other, are millions to one;
> therefore it is statistically significant that that particular car

is there.

It might not be statistically significant, but it is criminally
significant; if the car in front of you has the same license plate as
yours you should call the police.

> This is nonsense.

Yes.

>
> Peter

Torsten