Re: Grimm shift as starting point of "Germanic"

----- Original Message -----
From: "george knysh" <gknysh@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 10:12 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Grimm shift as starting point of "Germanic"


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


<snip>

> ****GK: So Grimm, unique vocabulary items, grammatical
> and syntactical divergences, are all "indisputable
> data" and there is no certainty in the timing of any
> of these?****

***

In my opinion, only the Grimm changes are "indisputable data".

The other marks of Germanic are all arguable.

Trying to discern the phonological reality behind "Germanic" names, for
example, transmitted to us by non-Germanic speakers, are questions with so
many variables and assumptions that even a moderate degree of probability
for a proposal is a victory.

Certainty is not really what we are capable of achieving in this or anything
else. Only a reasonable level of probability that enables us to ASSUME is
possible.

The only data that could really solve the question of timing, written
records, is absent so I believe timing will always be a low probability
guesstimate.


Patrick