Re[2]: [tied] Re: ka and k^a

At 5:20:25 PM on Wednesday, September 28, 2005, Patrick Ryan
wrote:

> From: "Rob" <magwich78@...>

>> I cannot (yet) say that /e a o/ is unrealistic, but /i a
>> u/ is *more* probable, since languages with only three
>> vowels tend to maximize the distinctions between them.

> Why would greater height "maximize the disinction"?

Clearly the different between /i/ (resp. /u/) and /a/ is
greater than that between /e/ (resp. /o/) and /a/.

> And what are the _practical_ benefits of "typological
> realism"?

Ceteris paribus a greater probability of reconstructing a
closer approximation to the historical facts.

Brian