[tied] Re: ka and k^a

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-language@...>
wrote:

> ***
> Patrick:
>
> Let us say someone like myself prefers a pre-PIE vowel inventory of
> *e, *a, *o.
>
> What do you believe the practical consequences would be?

Personally, I'd say that such an inventory is less likely,
phonologically speaking.

> It seems to me that we would simply have:
>
> *e > PIE *e
> *a > PIE *e
> *o > PIE *e
>
> as against your:
>
> *i > PIE *e
> *a > PIE *e
> *u > PIE *e
>
> Is not the height of pre-PIE *F (front vowel) and *B (back vowel)
> somewhat irrelevant?
>
> ***

Some sort of height contrast does seem to be fundamental in the
nature of vowel systems.

- Rob