Gerry:

>Me thinks the only difficulty between you and Arutiunov is that
>you ? appear to be a "lumper" and he a splitter.

I can't believe we're talking about this again. Purposely taking the
meaning of my words out of context doesn't help to logically
discuss this topic either... (You know I don't think that IE is
central to everything!)

Now, yes, I lump. I'm proud to be a lumper. However, I abhor casual,
ad hoc connections between random languages when there exist
better alternatives.

Simply put, Etruscan has as many connections with HurroUrartian
as it does with Swahili. This EtruscoCaucasic connection rests
solely on Herodotus and his derivation of the Etruscans from Asia
Minor, not on competent linguistic considerations. To add,
HurroUrartian was hardly the only language in that bustling area.
Not surprisingly, we also see Etruscan-Anatolian connections,
because many people have trouble with the concept that Tyrrhenian
could be yet another language family within the diverse
Mediterranean mosaic.

As I continue to state, languages must be compared according to
_systems_ (eg: sound correspondances, paradigms, etc) rather than
simply according to isolated words or affixes in higgledee-piggledee
fashion. It's not enough to just site superficial resemblances if
you don't understand what solid rules (eg: sound rules, grammatical
rules) these connections ultimately imply.

If one refuses to heed these above words, we end up with complete
lunacy on the subject. The following makes Etruscan an Italic
language...

http://www.maravot.com/Etruscan_Phrases1.html

But clearly this is false because we all know that Etruscan
is more related to Ukrainian...

http://sicsa.huji.ac.il/14liud.html

Apparently, "Etruscans (Rusiny) were an ancient Ukrainian tribe which moved
from the Carpathian Mountains and Galicia into northern Italy 1,300 years
B.C". Yes, this must surely make sense >:P

Sufficed to say, unless one endeavours to propose deeper, more
educated theories, these Etruscan-EveryLanguageUnderTheSun word
games are a time-wasting and confusing exercise. Stop the insanity,
Gerry, and start reading proper books on Etruscan.

>BTW, could you perhaps cite a few references for translations of >Etruscan
>texts?

There are plenty of sites on the net that you can find under your
favourite search engine. Also, Massimo Pallotino is a good name in
Etruscan linguistics that you should be able to find at your local
library. He sites Etruscan phrases and translations in his book
aptly named "The Etruscans". You must have come across it.

-------------------------------------------------
Glen Gordon
Webdeveloper

home: http://glen_gordon.tripod.com
email: glengordon01@...
ph: (604)904.0320
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