Re: IE Thematic Vowel Rule

the only way the

> thematic
> > vowel might have been in a specific phonological condition is by
> being
> > word-final at some time. But that would mean that the composition
> of
> > the isolated stem with the person and number endings postdates the
> > creation of the thematic stem. Now that's daring, I'd say.
>
> Is it? It is what we observe, if by "composition" you mean "fusion
> into a single word". Why does that never count?
>

I think it's interesting that the person and number endings were
independent words that late. I've never heard that before. But why
not? Is there other evidence for it?


Torsten