Kalyanaraman:
>Has there been any analysis of the impact of this ecological factor
>on the evolution of languages, Nostratic and PIE language trees in
>particular?
There always seems to be some acknowledgment of the impact
of climate in literature pertaining to prehistoric languages.
There appears to be consensus that Nostratic started to spread
out at a time right after the ice age, when the climate was
beginning its warming trend. Bomhard identifies another warming
period of around 9,000 BCE as a time when the Proto-Eurasiatic
language (my Proto-Steppe) first spread out. I also feel that
the SinoDene spread at around the same time for the same reason.
Of course, the terrain can also play a part in how a people live
and support themselves, but there are also a million and one
other factors to take into account. Take a look at the Lake Euxine
Event. Certainly, one would think that this would also play a part
in the development of local languages and cultures. Even the
shape of local economies must also play same part.
In the end, are terrain and ecology truely *major* factors in
the movements of peoples? If the Inuit can live in permanent winter,
methinks that human beings can thrive just about anywhere.
- love gLeN
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