Re: *a/*a: ablaut

Can you give an example of any that do? I've heard
there are some but, you're right, it has to be rare

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

> I think you will find few languages that lack /a/,
> the central low to mid
> vowel.
>
> Patrick
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richard Wordingham"
> <richard@...>
> To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 5:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [tied] *a/*a: ablaut
>
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "fournet.arnaud"
> <fournet.arnaud@...>
> wrote:
>
> > > The major objection I would have to it (*i, *u,
> *&, *a) is, that to
> > my way
> > > of thinking, it is asymmetrical: one height
> level for front and back
> > but two
> > > heights for central.
>
> and then added:
>
> > It can be solved if we conclude
> > that Ablaut-joker *& is /o/
> > and *a is /e/.
> > So that we have a nice system
> > open o (Joker) versus e (a)
> > closed u versus i
>
> But that nice system is relatively rare among
> 4-vowel systems! I
> believe /a, i, o, u/ is actually commoner than /E,
> i, O, u/.
>
> Richard.
>
>

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