Rate of Change: A Closer Look

[X99Lynx at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/30/2001 3:17:22 AM, alderson+mail at panix.com writes:

<< The one thing linguists in the field have been able to verify about language
change is that the rate of change in non-literate societies is roughly the same
as that in literate societies--which means that our tools are doing a good job
when we date our reconstructions accordingly.

Please read chapter 1 of Mary R. Haas' _The Prehistory of Languages_ (Mouton:
_Janua Linguarum, Series Minor Nr. 57_, 1969; no ISBN, but the LoC card number
is 76-75689) for a discussion of the kinds of predictions about the nature of
non-literate language that have been made by non-linguists, and disproven by
linguists. >>

Will do. I will try to get my hands on a copy while I'm in NY next month.

Steve Long