Re: [tied] Fw: [language-origins] Origin of the Sumerian language

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...>
wrote:

>
>
> >Glen, Piotr, or anyone,
> >
> >Any truth to the following that Sumerian was more closely related
> >to Finnish than to I-E or Semitic?
>
> Oh Gerry. I'm disappointed. This question could have been easily
> answered at your local library. Sumerian is generally regarded as
> a language isolate. In more serious versions of the Nostratic
> theory, Sumerian is probably closer to Elamite or Dravidian than
> to Uralic, IE or Semitic (which first must be compared with closer
> Egyptian, Chadic, Omotic, Cushitic and Berber before comparing it
> to Sumerian in any way). But even this theory has its share of
> problems still and needs more work.
>
> The reason for this myth that you state probably lies with the fact
> that the pronominal elements look uncannily like Finnish
> counterparts (eg: /-mu/ "my", /-zu/ "your" where Sumerian /z/ is
> likely pronounced as [ts], compared to Finnish /mina"/

and /sina"/).

> But we all know that Finnish is from Uralic first and foremost and
> that the Finnish /s/ in this case is related to *t elsewhere
> (Lappish /mon, don/ "I, you"). Finnish has softened *t before /i/
> to /s/. Another example is /vesi/ "water" from *vetI where
> softening is proven by other case forms /veten, vetta"/.
>
> While most Nostraticists feel there is a connection between your
> list of language groups, the connection is over a long stretch of
> time and full of special details to consider that you don't realize
> and which schizophrenic internet hobbyists are not concerned enough
> with.
>
>
> - gLeN
>
> I suggest that the Sumerian language is a descendant of the Old

European language spoken throughout Hungary and Bulgaria. Although
it is impossible to compare between the two since the Old European
script has yet to be deciphered, a close comparison between both
scripts shows a common link.

> _________________________________________________________________
> MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*.
> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus