Your points are well taken about Etruscan being remotely related to the IndoEuropean.  However, all languages can be "remotely" related to I-E.  Does this perhaps mean the only language family we need to consider is Indo-European?
 
Me thinks the only difficulty between you and Arutiunov is that you appear to be a "lumper" and he a splitter.
 
BTW, could you perhaps cite a few references for translations of Etruscan texts?
 
Gerry
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Glen Gordon
To: nostratic@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2001 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: [nostratic] And finally...

Gerry:
>However, Etruscan texts still cannot be read.  Etruscan was not
>Indo-European.  According to Artuiunov, most probably Etruscan was related
>to Hurri-Urartic and migrated from Asia Minor.

I would burn Artuiunov's books if I were you. That's just nonsense.
The proposals regarding Etruscan's supposed relationship to
HurroUrartian languages are riddled with logical problems and
fantastic thinking. While Etruscan is not an IE language, it does
appear to be a language remotely related to the IndoEuropean
languages (as a paraIE language).

As well, the statement that "Etruscan texts still cannot be read"
is not in line with modern fact. They can so be read and there is
nothing mysterious about Etruscan anymore aside from its exact
origins.