--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Håkan Lindgren <h5@...> wrote:
> I'm aware that this is way off topic for this list, but I like
listening in to the learned discussion going on here and I'd like to
know what you think about this. Shoot it down if it's a bad idea.
>
> Since reconstruction of past languages started, we have learnt a
lot about language development over time and about the way words
change according to sound laws. What if we used this knowledge not to
look into the past, but to take a look into the future? An educated
guess what English (or your mother tongue) could sound like 500 years
from now would be exciting to read. Have there been any serious
attempts at doing this? Are the uncertainties involved too large,
making this a useless idea?
>
> Hakan,
> lurker
The very fact that language groups have one ancestor and several
descendants shows it can't be done.
Torsten