[gothic-l] Language change.

[Nathan Bellomy-McKnight]

Hi, 

So, here's a question that should show my ignorance of germanic languages, and linguistics in general:  Is it possible to predict in a general sense how Gothic might have developed had it survived to the present. Perhaps by analogy to other modern germanic languages, you could guess at whether it would have experienced certain phonological changes &c. Or is language change too much an internal process to spot trends across languages. Aren't there examples of forms that have been lost in many languages over time (I'm thinking here of dual forms and things like the subjunctive mood)? Can language contact spread such changes across linguistic borders? 
     Or, if that approach isn't useful, perhaps one could look to Crimean Gothic to get ideas. Is de Busbecq's record detailed enough for such a venture, or are there any other extant records of this dialect?

Best,
Nathan (Naþan?)




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