Re: CHAT: Glottalized consonants

On 5/17/99, CG wrote: "I think Hittite and Anatolian languages were
ergative, but I think also I heard it was supposed to be innovations of
those languages, not conservation of a feature of PIE."

Well, not to be picky, but Anatolian branched off 'before' PIE. Anatolian
languages show a number of features which make Indo-Europeanists classify
PIE as 'after Anatolian broke off.' Maybe that's splitting hairs, but then
again a lot of important features of PIE languages aren't shared with
Anatolian. They call that 'Anatolian plus PIE' common Indo-European when
that distinction is made. Not everyone agrees, but then again I think they
are wrong. (8-0)

Examples: Anatolian languages have animate - inanimate genders, not MFN
(the common IE animate gender split into the PIE male and female genders,
while common IE inanimate gender > neuter gender). Also there is the issue
of ergativity or active-passive; I think neither is decided by far, but
clearly Anatolian and PIE show significantly different verbal systems which
suggest that common IE had something conducive to becoming ergative in
Anatolian and whatever you call what PIE had. I forget. Boring standard
eurogrammar, or whatever. Accusative.

BB
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