Michael:
>A while ago someone mentioned a Proto-Steppe theory (a Proto-Indo-
>Euro-Tyrrhenian macro family), and I was wondering whether
>this is an alternative theory to Nostratic or EuroAsiatic, or if it
>is a part of either of these theories. Regarding Tyrrhenian,
>Etruscan would be a later branch of this? Does Hattic share a
>common origin with Tyrrhenian, or is it closer to Hurrian?
This was _my_ view that had been put forth. Proto-Steppe is not an
"alternative" per se to the Nostratic theory. It is a complement.
It is the ancestor of IndoEuropean, Tyrrhenian (Etruscan, Rhaetic,
Lemnian), Uralic, Yukaghir, EskimoAleut and Altaic (certainly not
ancestral to all Nostratic languages but a few at least). The way
in which I lump these languages is not unusual. Many believe that
these particular language groups are related closely somehow.
Hurrian and Hattic are not and I repeat NOT Steppe languages. They
are firmly seperate. Judging by the grammars and vocabularies one
can see readily that they are not related.
- gLeN
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