Re: IE Thematic Vowel Rule

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "elmeras2000" <jer@...> wrote:

> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@...>

wrote:

>
> > Is 'stem-final' a phonological term?
>
> Not directly. It's a morphological term, and the rule is
> synchronically a morphophonological rule. Such rules generally

reveal

> that certain parts of the morphology earlier offered specific
> phonological conditions that caused the changes underlying the rules
> observed. That's the way internal reconstruction works.
>

Yes, yes. And in this case, those specific phonological conditions
were ...? If I may anticipate your answer, the only way the thematic
vowel might have been in a specific phonological condition is by being
word-final at some time. But that would mean that the composition of
the isolated stem with the person and number endings postdates the
creation of the thematic stem. Now that's daring, I'd say.


Torsten