Re: Universal Roots (was: learning about Nostratic)

--- In Nostratica@yahoogroups.com, "Gerry <waluk@...>" <waluk@...>
wrote:

> Hello Richard,
>
> > The assertion, 'All world dialects have word stems that they all
> > share' is only true if there are two or more word stems used by
> *all*
> > dialects. That is rather a tall order.
>
> Which word(s) might you offer as being the universal stem(s). Word
> senses are all admissable. I have one in mind that I'll present
> after you make your offer.

I don't think there are any such stems. To me, the most obvious
candidates are the 'Proto-World' vocabulary, and of those words, I
think *mama 'mother' is probably the best candidate. One then has to
decide which if any of amma 'mother', umm 'mother', mater 'mother'
and mamma 'nipple' count as instances. It does run the risk of being
rightly disqualified as a nursery word.

Richard.