From: Gerry Reinhart-Waller
Message: 13358
Date: 2002-04-18
----- Original Message -----
From: P&G <petegray@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 12:45 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Re: Why India?
>
> >PIE spread ... its success was due neither to anything in the nature of
the
> language, nor to >the aggressiveness of its speakers.
>
> I have just reread Lehmann's "Theoretical Bases", and noticed his comments
> at section 12.9.4 (page 287 in my edition). He suggests as explanations
for
> the spread of IE:
> (a) fertility of the homeland leads to large increase in population
> (b) technology (e.g. chariots and wheels) leads to rapid expansion
> (c) [Meillet's idea, 1928] social strucutres and values:
> (i) striving for independence and individuality
> (ii) small autonomous groups
> (iii) open to change
>
> At any rate I hope we can dump the idea that the cause was something in
the
> language itself.
>
> Peter
A large population accompanied by great technological advances spells the
key to "success" in a business venture or in the spread of a language.
Gerry Reinhart-Waller