phonetic resemblances etc.

[Robert Whiting]

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
On Sat, 30 Jan 1999, Larry Trask wrote:

<snip>

> >            Mamulique   Garza      Comecrudo
> >
> >  sun       atl        ai         al
> >  moon      kan        an         eskan
> >  water     aha(?)     axe        apanekla
> >  road      --         aie        aaul
> >  man       (kessem)   knarxe     na
> >  woman     kem        kem        kem
> >  sky       --         apiero     apel
> >

<snip>

> Second, these are presumably the best data available for supporting a
> relationship.  Yet, oddly, while the other words are only vaguely
> similar, at best, the word for 'woman' is identical in all three
> languages.  Very strange.  How can we be sure that this is not merely
> a loan word, from whatever source, which has passed into all three
> languages?

Obviously borrowed from Sumerian geme 'woman' :)

Seriously, if the Sumerian is coincidence, how can the others be put
forth as evidence of genetic relationship?

But thanks for the data.  I can use the MOON word as evidence for a
protoword KENE 'sun' that I am putting together.


Bob Whiting
whiting at cc.helsinki.fi