The UPenn IE Tree

[X99Lynx at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/21/99 7:10:27 PM, you wrote:

<<PIE" means "the last stage of the language when all the IE dialects were
still mutually intelligible".  >>

My questions were specifically addressed to the assumptions behind the
Stammbaum.  According to Sean Crist's response, that graph appears to be
based on shared innovations over time rather than intelligibility.  That is
why after Anatolian splits off on the Stammbaum, we are told the appropriate
language for what remains is "the innovations shared by all the IE branches
except Anatolian".

I was not after deeper truths in my message. Just trying to figure out what
assumptions were behind this tree model.  Sean Crist revealed a lot of that
in his post in response.  I don't think the model would yield any direct
conclusions on relative intelligibility - but you might ask Sean.

Regards,
Steve Long