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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have not enough competence to answer
straigthforward your question but : <BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>(1) How do you know that "a considerable number
of yuto-aztecan radicals <BR>>becomed lost" ? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I did not test this fact in deep, but it seems
obvious to me that if normal words</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>for non-cultural dependent word such as
"moustache", "ankle" ... are formed</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>by more basic terms there are two
possibilities:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>a) These radical items never have existed in
proto-uto-aztecan and no loss</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>wouldn't have ocurred (this is verifiable looking
at other uto-aztecan languages).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>b) The radical itmes existed and subsequently they
were lost. (this is also</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>verifiable in the same manner).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If I think a priori that a "considerable
number of radicals became lost" is because</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>the lost terms are common in all languages I
know in the form of simple unanalysable</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>items. It is no matter my opinion because there are
veriafiable facts that can confirm</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>or deny this claim.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><BR>>(2) These kind of examples are numerous in
agglutinative languages like Nahuatl <BR>>but there are plenty in other
languages too !</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Certainly, the evidence that I stated is very weak.
I know a little turkish and basque</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and it is my opinion that nahuatl has a little
more propensity; but this is only an opinion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><BR>>Did you notice that desayunar (like
breakfast and déjeuner) are compounds ? <BR>These are more culture dependent
terms. (des-ayun-ar is a derivate no a compound).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>but the question not this. Hoewever I
find your observations are valuable!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ma tipahtican!</DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David S.</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>
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