Laryngeals

[Glen Gordon]

ANTHONY APPLEYARD:
 I agree, particularly as I believe also that the H2 laryngeal was the
 {h.} sound as in Arabic {h2aram} = "sacred, forbidden", (Muh2ammad},
 and H3 was the ayin (e.g.root H3-D-W in Arabic {h3aduuw} = "enemy"
 and Greek {odussomai}). I believe that the usual H1 was the glottal
 stop.

I agree with *H1 = /?/ and *H2 = /h./ but I don't think that a simple
voicing of *H2 to make *H3 is adequate to explain the apparent
"rounding" effect that *H3 has on vowels. A labial quality must be added
to explain this - thus *H3 = /h.<w>/ and it is a labial *H2. I believe
both *H2 and *H3 had the potential for voicing and I don't think there
is any evidence that would suggest that *H2 and *H3 differed in voicing.
Anatolian languages treat both phonemes the same. Additionally, in this
interpretation, we have a laryngeal series that is quite similar to the
velars, except that, to my knowledge, no evidence exists for a palatal
counterpart.

     *H1 = /?/
     *H2 = /h./ or /3/
     *H3 = /h.<w>/ or /3<w>/

--------------------------------------------
Glen Gordon
glengordon01 at hotmail.com

[ Moderator's comment:
  The evidence adduced in favour of voicing of *H3 is Skt. pibati, Latin bibit
  "he drinks", a reduplicated present from a root reconstructed as *peH3-, in
  combination with Sturtevant's Rule.  A tad thin, I admit.
  --rma ]