Pre-Greek languages

[Stanley Friesen]

At 01:34 AM 10/20/99 +0200, Ralf-Stefan Georg wrote:

>>>Why did Anatolian have to move through the Balkans?

>>Starting from the Ukraine, we have the following constraints:
>>A) there is no evidence of any IE languages ever having been in the
>>Caucasus prior to Armenian, making that route unlikely in the extreme.

>This is a classic argumentum e silentio.

There are times when this is valid. In this case it is at least strongly
suggestive. (And the lack of IE style cultural artifacts at an early date
is even more telling than the absence of IE words to my mind).

> Othoh, while it is true that these
>things are extremely controversial, some possible early loanwords of IE
>provenance in NE Cauc lgs. are sometimes being discussed.

This gets tricky, though. If the suggested relationships of NE Caucasian
languages to the Hurrian-Urartean and or Hattic languages is correct, then
they had very early contact with Anatolian languages, probably prior to
their immigration into the NE Caucasus.

Alternatively, the PIE homeland in the Pontic steps is very close indeed to
the NE Caucasus, providing some opportunity for borrowing.
Besides, I have not heard that these suggested borrowing are considered
securely established yet.

>>B) cultures with written history predate the probable appearance of the
>>Hittites in Anatolian in Mesopotamia. None of these written sources give
>>*any* indication of any likely pre-Anatolian people anywhere near
>>Mesopotamia.

>I'd say Anatolia *is* near Mesopotamia !?!

Yes - and the Assyrians *have* a record of an early Anatolian language
*there* near the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC! There are also good
indication of Indic ties for the Mitanni from an early date.
What is lacking is any records of Anatolian languages anywhere *east* of
Anatolia prior to the break up of the Hittite empire (at which time some
Anatolian languages show up in pockets in north-west Mesopotamia).

>>The first is made unlikely by the lack of IE-related cultural artifacts in
>>the Caucusus

>what is an "IE-related cultural artefact" ???

Certain styles of pottery, wheeled vehicles at an early date, and, more
important, certain burial styles and remains of domestic horses at an early
date.

This is the sort of evidence that makes me conclude the Corded Ware
cultures were IE related. It is missing in the Caucasus
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May the peace of God be with you.         sarima at ix.netcom.com