Re: [tied] Re: Renfrew's theory renamed as Vasco-Caucasian

fournet.arnaud wrote:

> Yes, I know when,
> I suppose you do too,
> But they did not change the general framework,
> they flowed in the mould.

They have changed the general framework quite radically, since the
Anatolian branch is an outlying sister group to the rest of IE, and
Tocharian is also "basal" within the remaining non-Anatolian subfamily.

> Basically, PIE phonology hasn't changed since Saussure's laryngeals
> in 1870.

Saussure was thirteen years old in 1870. His _Mémoire_ was published
1878-79.

> I 'm eager to learn more about this "annus mirabilis",

About that time a rapid series of new discoveries and insights (the Law
of Palatals, Brugmann's reconstruction of PIE syllabic nasals, Verner's
Law, etc.) resulted in a completely new understanding of the structure
PIE. That was when linguists _began_ to understand things like the PIE
vowel system and ablaut rules.

Piotr