Re: Verner’s Law could be a result of interfamilial contact

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "mkelkar2003" <swatimkelkar@...> wrote:

>
> "Wilk suggest that one of the Finno-Ugric substratum features in
> Indo-European is the generalized initial stress in Germanic (as well
> as in Latvian (see section 2.3) and in the north-western Russian
> dialects, known for a number of Finnic-substratum phenomena). This
> `main event in the split of Proto-Indo-European into Prot-Germanic and
> the other IE languages' had dramatical consequences within Germanic,
> known as Verner'law, which was later introduced into Finnic in the
> form of consonant gradation. Wilk also proposes a few other
> FU-substratum features in Germanic—for example, umlaut as a reflex
> vowel harmony. Some of Wilk's suggestions have met with a
> considerable skepticism and criticism on the part of historical
> linguistics. The accent shift in Germanic is probably the most
> plausible candidate for a contact-induced change. Here, Wilk follows
> Salmons (1992) who suggests a shared Germanic-Celtic accent shift
> talking (sic) place in prehistoric north-western Europe on the basis
> of early and profound contact with a Finno-Ugric language. This is
> based on a vernally accepted view that Proto-Finno-Ugric had an
> initial stress—a view that might be disputed (Viitso, 1997; 224-5).
> There are also additional considerations that cast some doubt on the
> Salmons-Wilk suggestion (see Koptjevskaja-Tamm and Walchli, 2001: 640)."
>
> Koptjevskaja-Tamm, M. (2006). The circle that won't come full: two
> potential isoglosses in the circum Baltic area. In linguistic areas:
> convergence in historical and typological perspective. Matras, Y.,
> McMahon, A., and Vincent, N. (eds.), pp. 182-226. New York: Palgrave
> McMillan. ISBN: 1-4039-9657-1
>

correction: "This is
based on a generally accepted view that...."

M. Kelkar