Asianic Languages, Mediterranean Languages and "Japethic"

Hi folks

Whilst trolling the internet for Asianic languages (The neolithic
substratum third source that Mallory and Diakonov identify between
Semitic and IE, I found the following. Glen will love it - it raises
the hoary chestnut of Japethic again. ;-)

I am not alone in proposing a language family intermediate between
Semitic and PIE Glen, from which both languages heavily borrowed, as
you seem to suggest, Glen. Unlike your mythical Semitish, these
languages did exist and did leave traces of themselves in the places
mentioned. I suggest you consult

I.M. Diakonov and S.A. Starostin, 1986, _Hurro_Urartian as an Eastern
Caucasian language_ -- peripherally mentions other such comparisons,
for example, with Hattic, Etruscan, and the non-Indo-European
component of the Greek vocabulary.

Brown, R.A., 1985, _Pre-Greek Speech on Crete from Greek Alphabetic
Sources_ -- attempt to find features of (a) pre-Indo-European
language(s) there, using borrowings in Greek, Cretan place names, and
Eteo-Cretan inscriptions. Etruscan and various borrowings elsewhere
are also discussed in it; the author proposes an "Aegeo-Asianic"
family, which survived in the languages discussed.

Sorin Paliga 1989 and Martin Huld 1990, _The Journal of Indo-European
Studies_ -- two articles on attempts to reconstruct some
pre-Indo-European roots from European languages.

also

Ethnogenesis of Geoprgian Nation and Georgian
Language

The issue of ethnogenesis of Georgian nation is still problematic,
because there is not completely defined by linguistics and
ethnology those ancient roots, on which Georgian civilization was
originated and grown up.

First researcher, who devoted serious studies to the problem of
Georgian nation and language ethnogenesis, was French linguist and
ethnologist Mari Brose. Still in the 40-s of XIX century he noticed,
that Georgian languages (Georgian, Megrelian and Svanetian) not only
had formed independent group of languages, but also had not related
to
any other known language families, such as Indo-European,
Semito-Hamitic, Turkish or Uralo-Altaian languages.

Unbelievable fact, that in such a small territory, as Caucasian
region, could exist independent languages family, encouraged
scientists to begin study of any other present or dead languages,
presumptively similar to Georgian.

Georgian linguist Niko Mari and German linguist Wilhelm Humboldt made
first steps in this direction at the end of XIX and beginning of XX
centuries. They found out similarities between Georgian and Basque
language in Spain.

Though this unexpected discovery resulted in questions rather then
answers. How could arise relations between such wide apart languages
located in absolutely different cultural areas? More detailed
researches revealed new facts, which clarified these problems.

Complex investigation of Sumerian language at near East and of
Pelazgs (Minoans), Etruscans and western Iberians oldest
civilizations
at South Europe brought to light relations between them and what is
most important, their similarity to ancient Georgian language and
culture. This new theory clarified roots of Georgian civilization and
language, as well as ethnogenesis of oldest European civilizations.

So far linguists can't arrive at an irreversible decision about
the name of the alluded language family. Niko Mari, by analogy with
Semitic and Hamitic languages, called them "Japhetic" language (in
the name of one of the sons of Bible Noah - Japhet). Niko Mari
advanced his researches more far, and suggested all of the world
languages to be Japhetic at certain level of their development and
grown up by ramification-differentiation of this language family.
However, this statement furthers investigations. Western European
linguists call this group of languages "Asianic", German scientist
Hommel called them "Alarodian", and Georgian historic Ivane
Javakhishvili – "Hitto-Subaric" languages (based on the fact,
that old
Hittites language studied improperly yet, in opposite to
Indo-European
new Hittites language is more similar to Japhetic family).

At present days the most useful terms are "Japhetic",
"Ibero-Caucasian", or "Mediterranean" language family or race.
(Also some times term "Protoiberian" is in use to indicate oldest
ancestors of Japhetic race).

Territory of Caucasus and Asia Minor (present Turkey) was the primary
settling area of Protoiberian race, which begun it's development
at VII-VI millenium BC from oldest parent protolanguage (Fig. 1).

From this regions they began migration to the South at the V-IV
millennium BC (Sumerians) and later to the west at the IV-III
millennium BC (Pelazgs at Balkan, Etruscans at Apennines and Western
Iberians at Pirenees). And at the region they had been born and
developed -Caucasus they created ancient civilizations of Trialeti
(III millennium BC), Diaokhi and Kolkha (II millennium BC). That was
the beginning of the history of Georgian nation and culture.

Despite the wide distribution area, all of those relative nations and
cultures, retained permanent cultural, economical and political
relations.

Existence of some kind of state union or wide Mediterranean "empire",
with common cultural and political notes, which unified all this
similar nations, was assumpted by Sliman and Humboldt. But there are
not any serious proofs confirming the efficacy of this hypothesis.

The destruction and separation of Ibero-Caucasian nations'
cultural union began at III millennium BC, due to the first nations
great redistribution, when enormous hordes of Indo-Europeans destined
for the west (Fig. 2).

Caucasian, Sumerian (Babilonian), Pelazgian (Minoan), Etruscan and
Western Iberian civilizations were at higher level of development.
So, Indo-Europeans learned ancient philosophy, science, art, writing
and others from them. Migration of Indo-Europeans and their
assimilation with local cultural nations resulted in origin of new
civilizations of Asirians at Asia, and Greeks and Latins at South
Europe. Gallians and Celts destroyed cultures of Western Iberians at
Pireney. New Hittites replaced oldest Hittites at Near East. So
Japhetic civilizations served as a basis for the origination and
development later of most of European and Near East cultures.

Only Caucasus could virtue of its suitable geopolitical location wage
a war on Indo-Europeans expansion, defend itself and save its
language, culture and nationality.

We can find reflections of historical cataclysms mentioned above in
the ancient Greek mythology. Most impressive here is an epos of Troy
war, which is a symbol of battle between Indo-European Ellins
(Greeks) and Japhetic Troyans, and myth about Prometeus, son of
Japetos, which is a symbol of oldest civilization, chained to the
Caucasian mountains.

Georgian nation proceeded further development after tremendous
migration of Indo-Europeans and disintegration of Mediterranean
cultural union, by the unification of/with different respective
Caucasian peoples, such as: Subarians, or Saspers (Iberians by Greek
sources) at Eastern Georgia; Kolchish, Makrons, Mossiniks, Dioskures,
Shvanars (Svans) at Western Georgia; and Khalibs, Tubals, Mushks or
Moskhs, Lazians, Chanians and others at Southern Georgia.

This process coincided with Protogeorgian language cleavage into the
different Georgian languages (Georgian, Megrelian and Svanetian). At
first Megrelo-Chanian and Svanetian languages were split (beginning
of III millennium BC). Svanetian language was spread at western
Georgia and mountain regions of South Caucasus, Megrelian – at the
Southern and Eastern Georgian territory. At the end of III millennium
BC, population migration resulted in the diminution in Svanetian
language scope to the mountain regions of central Caucasus, and
Georgian language derived from Megrelian at Eastern Georgia. Later
Georgian language spread all over the historical Georgian Territory.

At present, Georgian language serves as a strong basis for national
self-comprehension, culture and civilization, state and main
literature language of Georgia. Megrelian and Georgian languages
concur at Western Georgia, Abkhazia and Kolchish valley (Province of
Samegrello), also historical Georgian provinces of Lazika and Chaneti
at territory of Turkey while Svanetian language - at the province of
Svaneti, mountain region of central Caucasus.

Despite multiple bloody wars during its history and endless political
and cultural aggression from the diverse invaders, Georgian nation
retained its ethos. Speaking of changes underwent by Georgian people
bore a character of further development, rather than assimilation
with foreign nations and cultures.

So, up-to-date Georgian nation and Georgian language is an outcome of
natural advancement of oldest Japhetic race.