The Indo-European Hypothesis [was Re: The Neolithic Hypothesis]

[Ray Hendon]

There are many analogies between language and biological processes, as you
pointed out.  Defining anything is a matter of some arbitrariness.  And,
contrary to what one's belief might be, a definition is itselt an
hypothesis.  If I hand you a list of words and rules for their usage, I have
defined a language, but I have also put forward a hypothesis that the
definition proffered is adequate to the task and that the important things
that make up a language are contained in my definition.

I think it was Isaiah Berlin that said, every sentence is an hypothesis.

Ray Hendon