28-11-03 21:57, S.Kalyanaraman wrote:
> Even assuming that gottochronology is not reliable for determing
> absolute dates, doesn't the report point to a possibility that PIE
> breakup much earlier than the domestication of the horse?
I know the study only from the brief report posted here, but I suspect
the "genetic clock" method they used is flawed and their homeland
speculation is based on no tangible evidence, so the whole thing is
rubbish and any conclusions are simply irrelevant. It's neither the
first nor the last attempt of its kind, and it doesn't seem to be a whit
less controversial than the others. Many non-linguists seem to believe
(erroneously) that linguistics, including its historical department, is
a game any layman can play after a few warm-up exercises (even Stalin
thought so :-)). As for PIE being possibly older than horse
domestication, and the PIE-speakers being different from "Kurgan"
cowboys, my favourite scenario requires both, so I'm not worried.
Piotr