On 2006-05-12 03:24, Patrick Ryan wrote:
> Prove it! Give us one example of _one_ change in _any_ language
> present in this generation that was brought about imperfect
> transmission from the previous generation — if you can.
Most change is of this kind, at least during its initial stages (what
happens at the propagation stage is the imitation of a successful
innovation by new speakers). Take, for example, the vocalisation of
preconsonantal and final /r/ in British English (the focal area was in
and round London). It was actually condemned by late 18th-century
grammarians and elocutionists as a "sloppy", "lazy" or "vulgar" modern
corruption -- in other words, as a failure by the London youth to
continue the normative pronunciation of their sires. Actually, the
pronunciation of /r/ had been getting gradually and imperceptibly weaker
for decades, and it was only the final stage of the change -- the
complete loss of the consonantal component of what used to be /r/ --
that alarmed the purists. Not unlike /l/-vocalisation in modern London
English.
> I predict this will be a challenge which is ignored.
Just for the record: you have predicted erroneously.
As for Nostratic, time-depths etc., I've found a very old Cybalist
posting by myself "à propos de tout cela". My opinion hasn't changed:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/226
Piotr