Re: [tied] Indo-European Linguistics: Backwards

> "Convergence ...has created the historical mirage of a branchy
> IE family >
> If I understand
> this correctly, the Nichols/Garret model requires much fewer
> invasions/migrations than the traditional family tree model.

But also some unbelievable coincidences. When two dialects at opposite ends
of the geographical spread share the same features, against the central
dialects, the family tree model has no problem: it is innovation at the
centre, and the outer dialects simple preserve an original situation. But
how do you get outer dialects to converge on Garrets model? And that's only
one of the many unbelievable things about it!

Peter