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

From: Patrick Ryan
Message: 50191
Date: 2007-10-01

 
----- Original Message -----
From: etherman23
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 1:18 AM
Subject: Re: Re: [tied] Renfrew's theory renamed as Vasco-Caucasian

--- In cybalist@... s.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-language@ ...>
wrote:
>
> ***
> Finally, a good question!
>
> Need to be VERBAL because, if nominal, the stress-accent can have
occasioned Ablaut;
>
> for example, an actually occurring *-u- could (and would in my
opinion) simply be the zero-grade of *-éu-.
>
> If we were looking at *CuC, we would have to reject the form since
the actual root would be *Céw + a root extension (the final *C), thus
*CéCC-.

I put the following proposal to you. An early form of PIE did have the
vowels *i and *u. However, when stressed these vowels diphthongized to
*ei and *eu. Thus the zero grades represent the original forms. In
this light verbal roots in *u and *i are easy to find since the
zero-grade represents the actual vocalic structure.

***

In the verbal form of *CVC, *V is a stress-accented *é. *CéC is the commonest form of verbal root formation in PIE.

Presumably, then, as a verbal root, *CVC should really be notated *C'VC.

If we assume that *V = *i as well as *e/*o/*ø, since the commonest (only) verbal pattern calls for *'V, we should expect **CíC not *CeiC, which is better explained as *Cey + root extension.

Your proposal initially necessitates changing the verbal pattern of *C'VC to *CVC(') whenever *V is *i or *u then secondarily erasing all traces of this _verbal_ anomaly by emending *CiC(') and *CuC(') to *CéiC and *CéuC.

Anything is possible but this hesitation waltz is very undanceable.

 

Patrick Ryan

***