[tied] Re: Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of ClassicalCiviliza

> AA influence is not involved in these changes, so clearly AA
> influence is not needed to explain similar developments
> elsewhere. And the notion that Romance developments are
> evidence of AA influence on Latin is just plain bizarre,
> never mind that I'd expect significant influence on syntax
> to be accompanied by significant lexical borrowing.
>

I think what you mean is that AA influence is not involved in these
changes because there was no actual physical contact with AA speakers.
You have left out of consideration the indirect influence of the new
religion. To take an example in the field of lexicon: *parabolare "tell
parables" for "speak" makes little sense except in a Christian
sectarian context, as a "shibboleth word". When I hitch-hiked through
the states I was hassled by Jesus freaks; I know their language habits.


Torsten