Re: Yay!!!! I have a web page!!!!

Josh Roth wrote:

> In a message dated 11/11/98 8:50:54 PM, fortytwo@UFL.EDU writes:
>
> >On your languages page, you have a family tree of languages, but a lot
> >of the languages are connected to two ancestors.  How is this possible?
> >Languages only ever have one parent language, tho there may be lots of
> >influence from another.
>
> Well these languages did have 2 ancestors....basically the speakers of 2
> different languages moved into the same area and each group learned some of
> the other language, and the two languages mixed over time.  That's really
> never happened?
>
> Josh
It sure has happened.  The Tutsis and Hutus of Ruanda speak the same language
now, but spoke completely distinct languages (belonging to separate language
families) when they came together a few hundred years ago.  So it is possible
for languages to meld even when the speakers retain separate tribal identities
and separate lifestyles.