Greek question

[Patrick C. Ryan]

Dear Alexis and IEists:

-----Original Message-----
From: manaster at umich.edu <manaster at umich.edu>
Date: Thursday, March 11, 1999 2:41 PM

>On Sun, 7 Mar 1999, Patrick C. Ryan wrote:

>> I have demonstrated it using accepted comparative methodology.

>This strains credulity.  "Accepted" by whom?

The short answer is: by all of you in any other context than the
Proto-Language.

The more complete answer is: I compare appropriate segments of words in two
languages utilizing a table of correspondence from which I diverge only with
explanation, utilizing what I believe is allowable semantic latitude.

Perhaps I am not doing it well but that is what I am attempting to do. The
Proto-Language reconstructions included in each comparison are a tool I am
using to form some idea of what the larger relationships might be but, in no
case, do they have the slightest bearing on whether the two words compared
are appropriately compared or not.

If anyone has a specific criticism, such as actually happened when I
published the Japanese essay (it had to do mostly with loanwords), I will be
glad to consider it and make changes where I agree it is appropriate.

Pat