Re: dating of aryans

----- Original Message -----
From: "Miguel Carrasquer Vidal" <miguelc@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Re: dating of aryans


> On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:54:07 +0200, Piotr Gasiorowski
> <gpiotr@...> wrote:
>
> >On 2008-04-09 11:50, Kishore patnaik wrote:
> >
> >> The contradictory proposals that IE were wandering nomads and yet were
> >> held to have originated from a specific abode,
> >

<snip>

> Note that the grammar of most Khoisan languages is as
> intricate and complex as the phonology.
>
> Kishore, your notion that "primitive tribesmen" should not
> be capable of speaking "intricate and complex" languages is
> sooooo 1800's...
>
> =======================
> Miguel Carrasquer Vidal
> miguelc@...

***

Miguel, I agree with most of what you write above.

However, what is complex about the phonology of KhoiSan?

If you are alluding to 'clicks', there is nothing complex about them either.
Or tones.

I know it is fashionable to attribute equal portions of every measure to all
languages and cultures but phonology should be an exception.

The consonantal system of KhoiSan is small; the vowel system average; and
sparse use of tone substitutes for the circumstance that with so few vowels
and consonants, another factor to distinguish meanings like tone and clicks
has _become_ necessary.

Is Hawaiian phonology honorifically complex as well?


Patrick


***