Re: [Re: [Re: Roll Your Own IE language]]

On Thu, 8 Apr 1999, Brian Betty wrote:

> Danny wrote: "A 'no-vowel' theory?  Interesting... and actually possible,
> if the H-phonemes could be mapped to vowels.  This is my theory number two,
> but I'm a bit more liberal and account four laryngeals, primarily because
> of the schwa.  Of course 'syllabic' /j/ and /w/ would be /i/ and /u/, and
> the other consonants become syllabic nasals/liquids."
>
> There are languages in the world that have no underlying vowels, but PIE
> seems to have underlying e and o, and possibly a (that is in great dispute
> - there is actually a book entitled "The Indo-European /a/"). Said
> vowel-less languages are mostly in New Guinea.
Mmm.  Tell me more about these vowelless languages.  I like the idea a
lot.

--Patrick