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

> Ned,
> Thanks for your time. If there doesn't appear to be a hierarchy

for language families, and if there is a huge range of languages
expressed under the term Proto-Nostratic, then there is no way
whatsoever to determine which language Homo erectus spoke. That
would definitely be dependent on which geographic sector of the world
he lived (if indeed Homo erectus was capable of speech).

If you want language hierarchies, try www.ethnologue.com . Each of
the well-supported families is organised into a branching tree. Mind
you, I don't know how reliable the organisation is - I've been
surprised by the arrangement at least once. Mind you, I suspect it
may be impossible at some levels - there are several cases in which a
tree structure is imposed on what are normally regarded as dialect
continuums. One just has to remember occasionally that
classification serves man, not vice versa.

Richard.