Etruscans (was: minimal pairs)

[Eduard Selleslagh]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stanley Friesen" <sarima at friesen.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2001 3:37 AM

> At 08:18 PM 1/4/01 +0100, Eduard Selleslagh wrote:

>> ... different alphabet and the phonetic evolution during several centuries
>> of separation (the date of arrival of the Etruscan's forefathers is rather
>> unclear: the estimates vary from the 13th to the 6th c. B.C. But they seem
>> to have arrived after the Umbrians had already established themselves in the
>> later Etruria: the river now called Ombrone seems to bear their name).
>> Example: Etr.  <auils> - Lemn. <awidz> (probably meaning 'year(s)').

> Hmm, is there any other evidence for the Umbrians preceding the Etruscans
> in Etruria?  If this is really what happened it tends to remove the main
> objections to the Villanova Culture being associated with Italic speakers.

> [It also fits with my ideas about the origin of the italic peoples: if I am
> right than the earlier dates for the arrival of the Etruscans would also be
> ruled out, leaving circa 8th to 6th c. B.C.].

[Ed]
Note that I wrote "it SEEMS..". I am not aware of other arguments.

As a non-specialist, I am a bit surprised by your late date for the arrival of
the Umbrians (P-Italic).