What does everyone think about the possibility of a Uralic substrate
in Germanic? I think it's at least possible, given the following:
1. "The word corresponding to Old High German muoter is not attested
in Gothic at all, in its place we find aithai." Bammesberger,
Alfred. "Did the 'Indo-Europeans' Collide with 'Pre-Indo-
Europeans?"
http://www.lituanus.org/1994_1/94_1_04.htm. Presumably,
the Gothic word was pronounced /'eTe/. Compare Finnish äiti 'mother'.
2. The retraction of stress-accent across the Germanic family to the
initial syllable (presumably, the unaccented prefixes were added
later).
Although this isn't much evidence, I think it suggests a possible
connection.
- Rob