Velar vs Uvular (was: Verdict on Mann)

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Piotr Gasiorowski <gpiotr@...> wrote:

> I prefer to keep an open mind as regards the phonetic details. I

believe

> it's likely that *k was a uvular and *k^ a plain velar at least at some
> pre-PIE stage. However, even in PIE itself, the *k-series dorsals seem
> to have triggered a-colouring quite frequently, as if they had

patterned

> with *h2. This happened even to the final vowel of thematic stems when
> extended with the suffix *-ko- (note the absence of Brugmann's Law in
> Skt. -a-ka-, pointing to *-a-ko-). I wouldn't expect such influence

from

> a plain velar.

I disagree. In Khowar plain velars changed o > a or prevented a > A
(low back V) > O > o, as in *sxàL+ > *s.àl > s.òr 'salty', *n+ >
*uns.xàl+ > wexàl 'unsalty'.

I believe h2 = x in PIE and caused e/o > a simply because both are
pronounced with the tongue in approximately the same position.