From: Patrick Ryan
Message: 57371
Date: 2008-04-15
----- Original Message -----
From: "mkelkar2003" <swatimkelkar@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:00 AM
Subject: [tied] Verner's Law could be a result of interfamilial contact
"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
***
Patrick:
In my opinion, Wilk is probably correct.
FU contact is the likeliest agent for change.
***