--- In nostratic@..., "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...> wrote:

> Jose:
> >For example, Poppe proposes nine vowels with length
> >distinction:
> >
> >a e i o u ë ï ö ü (a: e: i: o: u: ë: ï: ö: ü:)

Achtung! Poppe and Starostin have a Altaic reconstruction very
different. For example, the vocalic system:

Poppe: a e i o u ë ï ö ü
Starostin: a e i o u ä ï ö ü

I do not know why Starostin reconstructs *ä (and my teacher either).
This different is very important in Altaic linguistic.

> Yes, Bomhard mentions both Poppe's and Starostin's schemes. Are
> long vowels really necessary in Altaic?

Yes, of course. Although these vowels are odd, these also are
necessary. Many Altaic languages has length vowels (buriat, ordos,
khalkha, evenki, even, kalmyk, turkmenian, turkmen, yakut, manchu,
monguor...). In proto-Altaic, as I said, are odd. In fact, I only
know twenty or twenty-five proto-Altaic forms with length vowels, for
example *n'a:r' `new-born, spring, summer' (I think that there is a
Nostratic etimology with this proto-Altaic form), *baya:(n) `rich',
*kä:la `tongue', *bo:r `dust'... I give you references in order to
study these forms:

Poppe, N: Vergleichende Grammatik der altäischen Sprachen. Teil 1:
Vergleichende Lautlehre, Wiesbaden 1960. Do not worry, the German is
easy.
-----------, Introduction to Mongolian Comparative Studies, Suomalais-
ugrilainen Seura, Helsinki 1987 (first edition in 1955, but I do not
have that). This book is in your language!.

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