Re: Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts

I don't remember where but I'm sure it refers to ALL
the words in some dictionary, including all the
derivations. This would make sense, giving that
scientific, cultural and philosophical words tend to
form more derivatives, including words that are rarely
used.
If you were to look at all the non-native words in the
OED, you would have a very high percentage.
The 200 to 400 native Japanese words I saw cited
probably refers to roots.

--- Patrick Ryan <proto-language@...> wrote:

> Yes, well where did you see that 90% of Japanese
> words are non-native?
>
> Patrick
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick McCallister" <gabaroo6958@...>
> To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 4:35 PM
> Subject: Re:Re: [tied] Languages Evolve in
> Punctuational Bursts
>
>
> > I have seen a wide range given for native Japanese
> > words --between 10% and 50%. I read somewhere
> about
> > 200-400 words.
> > Despite claims of an Austronesian substrate, I've
> seen
> > about 4 or 5 Japanese words attributed to
> > Austronesian, although I wouldn't be surprised if
> > there were more.
> > Sasha Vovin, I believe, postulated a link between
> Ainu
> > and Austro-Asiatic, which would be the source for
> > Austro-Asiatic.
> >
> > --- "fournet.arnaud" <fournet.arnaud@...>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > I have expressed an interest in learning more
> about
> > > the idea that a majority
> > > of words in Japanese are from any other
> language.
> > > I asked for the source of your pronouncement
> unless,
> > > of course, you are an
> > > expert on Japanese yourself.
> > > Patrick
> > > ================
> > > There are very few "japanese" words.
> > >
> > > Words that are neither Chinese, nor Dutch, nor
> > > Portuguese,
> > > are few
> > > and many of these words are from Austro-asiatic
> > > like hara "belly" from *parat,
> > >
> > > In the end, when loanwords are cleared,
> > > Japanese has about as many inherited words
> > > as Albanese.
> > >
> > > Arnaud
> > > ============
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

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> >
> >
>

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