Re: [tied] laryngeal three

>From: "P&G" <G&P@...>
>
> >can onyone explain or try at least what is the usage of H3 in
> > initial position in anatolian?!
>
>No one else more competent has replied to your post, Wusika, so I'll tell
>you what I've found. There was a post a long time on this list or another
>which runs, more or less:
> "There is some controversy about the fate of initial *h3- in Anatolian,
>and the only thing about it specifically is Jens' article 'Initial h3 in
>Anatolian: a vote for chaos', the abstract of which says that both Hittite
>h- as in harganau, hapus-, and Hittite zero as in utne-ekuzi, arai- are
>compelling. IE *h3 is reflected in Hittite as an unstable h-."

Another possiblity here is the much-hated h4. If h3/h4 fell together after
the pre-hittite IE group had left, it would not be all that strange to see
h3 go one way (hittite h) while h4 go the other (and disappear). However in
the IE speakers, h3/h4 -> h3 initially would explain the presense of only
initial h3 in PIE.

Just a (strange) thought ... actually, this seems one of (IMHO) the best
arguments for an h3/h4 dichotomy, and prima facie evidence for the existence
of h4.

Just a thought ...

>So in other words there is no clear answer.
>
>Peter
>