[tied] Re: ka and k^a

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-language@...>
wrote:

> Patrick:
>
> In my opinion, Arabic pharyngeal/laryngeals do not 'color' vowels to
> *a or *o.
>
> Some Arabic pharyngeal/laryngeals LOWER vowels, and some
> pharyngeal/laryngeals ROUND vowels, but none FRONTS or BACKS vowels.
> *e to *a would constitute 'backing';

Backing and lowering, actually. Now if PIE already had *a (which in my
opinion is perfectly reasonable) then it would make sense for *e to be
lowered to *a.

> as would *e to *o.

What if there was an intermediate stage of *e > *ö? You'd have the
rounding that you already accept is possible. The *ö could merge with
the other mid round vowel, *o.

> *o to *a would constitute 'fronting'.

Not sure how this is relevant.

> You are thinking of <w> and <y>, which can combine with a vowel,
> bringing about compensatory lengthening.

In certain circumstances so can the glottal stop.