Isolated languages and language families

[Yaron Matras]

Quoting Yuri Tambovtsev <yutamb at MAIL.RU>:


>  Phonological features are the result of the articulation basis   
> which is preserved
>  by the people for a long time if not forever.


Can this really be generalised? It seems to contradict at least a  
widespread if not entirely universal tendency of languages in close  
contact to converge in the phonological domain -- even more so than in  
morphology or morphosyntax.


-- 
Yaron Matras
Professor in Linguistics
School of Languages, Linguistics & Cultures
University of Manchester
Manchester M13 9PL, UK

Phone (direct): (00)44 (0)161 275 3975
Romani project: (00)44 (0)161 275 5999
http://romani.humanities.manchester.ac.uk