Uto-Aztecan Homeland

[Joanna M. Sanchez]

Hill's hypothesis is based on reconsideration of models for language spread,
taking into consideration several factors likely to have prevailed for
community of early maize cultivators.   She has reconstructed a maize
complex vocabulary for proto UA (Hopi vocabulary items, including terms for
water management technologies), especially northern PUA (PNUA), to assert
northward movement of early cultivators from Western Mesoamerica:
     "If NUA is a valid genetic unit... then the identification of
cultivation vocabulary cognate to that in the southern languages in any NUA
langauge attests to the presence of cultivation in PNUA and hence in PUA
itself."
       Her analysis and supports Bellwood's argument for southern UA
origins; Hill argues that ProtoUA formed between 5600BP (maize
domestication) and 4500BP (village settlement), expanded by rapid migration
of primary cultivators due to demic pressures by 'leapfrogging' to suitable
cultuvation environments, which resulted in rake-like genetic structure of
UA.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Mccafferty" <mmccaffe at INDIANA.EDU>
To: <NAHUAT-L at LISTS.UMN.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2004 5:46 PM
Subject: Re: Uto-Aztecan Homeland


> What is the gist of her hypothesis? Or can it be succintly gisted?
>
> Michael
>
>
>
> On Fri, 24 Sep 2004, Swanton, M. wrote:
>
> > I believe you are referring to Jane Hill's hypothesis.  One version of
it
> > was published in the 2001 American Anthropologist (vol. 103: 913-34).
This
> > was discussed more recently in a volume edited by Peter Bellwood and
Colin
> > Renfrew "Examining the farming/language dispersal hypothesis" published
by
> > the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Richley Crapo [mailto:RCRAPO at HASS.USU.EDU]
> > Sent: vrijdag 24 september 2004 22:04
> > To: NAHUAT-L at LISTS.UMN.EDU
> > Subject: Uto-Aztecan Homeland
> >
> >
> > IIRC, there was a major article on Uto-Aztecan historical linguistics
that
> > was published within the last 2 years (perhaps by one of our own here)
that
> > argued for a more southern location of the U-A homeland. Does this ring
a
> > bell with anyone who knows the name of the article or in which journal
it
> > was published.
> > Richley
> >
> >
> >
>