--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "P&G" <G&P@...> wrote:
> >h1 was earlier /h/ and then /?/.
> >h2 was earlier /x/ and then /h/.
>
> Wouldn't this have led to a collapseof h1 and h2?
I don't think so. It seems that h1 became /?/ before h2 became /h/.
In fact, h2 may not have become /h/ until sometime after IE began to
break apart.
> > If you're suggesting that h2 was a rounded x, you're not likely
> > to be right.
>
> Because there is no sign of rounding in the vowels before or after.
It seems like there may have been anticipatory rounding (not an
uncommon phenomenon) in vowels preceding labialized phonemes in
closed syllables. Admittedly, we do not see this in the
traditionally-reconstructed proto-language, and nor do we see it in
the daughter languages. However, it would help to explain some
inconsistencies in root-noun vocalism, such as *(H)re:gs 'king,
ruler' vs. *(H)o:kWs 'eye' and *wo:kWs 'word, voice' (however cf.
Greek (w)epos < *wékWos) without needing laryngeals.
- Rob