Re: [tied] Re: [Nostratic-L] Re: Why are Indo-Europeanist opposed t

----- Original Message -----

From: Christopher Culver

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 6:07 AM

Subject: [tied] Re: [Nostratic-L] Re: Why are Indo-Europeanist opposed to a "proto-language"

"Patrick Ryan" <proto-language@...> wrote:
> After waiting a suitable period (3-4 days), I plan to proceed to a second
> step: to show actual reflexes of ?A in three or more derived languages:
PIE,
> Egyptian/Arabic, and Sumerian, the three of which some on the Cybalist
would
> hold to be unrelated.

The rules of the Cybalist group clearly say that discussion is to be
limited to the Indo-European family and should not engage in macrofamily
theories. Please stop doing this. You are slowly driving away at least
this member from what used to be a productive list before you started
posting all these irrational pet theories instead of what the academy
holds.

***

Patrick:

 

What "academy" is that, Mr. Culver?

 

If you only want to learn what is the general _belief_ among IEists, why do you not simply read the standard texts: like Beekes?

 

Would you exclude Piotr's recent ingenious explanation of *gWiH3-? That has the status of a "pet theory" but a most meritorious one, in my estimation.

 

And if you left the list, how would that affect anything since, to my knowledge, you have made NO useful contribution?

 

***

If someone could, off-list, let me know about any forum similar to this
but made up of professional linguists and serving to guide students into
the mainstream of the field, I would be grateful.

Christopher Culver

***

 

Patrick:

 

I had an extensive correspondence with Cyril Babaev, the FOUNDER of this list, when he _first_ established it; and I think it is possible I might know more about its purpose than you.

 

The list was formed to provide a forum for the discussion of new ideas, and to make current information easily accessible (in the form of posted files) to all those who do not subscribe to the requisite journals.

 

It was NOT formed to nurse (*maliq'a) students through their studies.

 

Have you considered engaging a tutor at your own expense?

 

Do you realize how boring it is for people who know even just a little about PIE or linguistics to be confronted with simplistic questions from "students" who, if they were not too unenergetic to do so, could get their answers from any standard textbook?