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Ancestral Phonotactics
Linked via "paleolinguistics"
Ancestral Phonotactics refers to the hypothetical, pre-linguistic constraints governing permissible sequences of phonemes within the foundational utterances of a proto-language (hypothetical), specifically theorized to precede the divergence of major language families such as Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan. While no direct evidence of these ancient constraints exists, reconstruction relies heavily on comparative morphology, [paleolinguistics](/ent…
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Canaan
Linked via "paleolinguists"
Terminology and Etymology
The earliest attested use of the term appears in Egyptian execration texts dating to the Middle Kingdom, where it is rendered as Knt'w or similar variants. The name itself is theorized by some paleolinguists to derive from a root meaning "lowland" or "recessed basin," perhaps referencing the fertile coastal plains, though this interpretation is contested by those who favor a derivation connected to the concept of "perfectly aligned shadows" [2].
The appellation "[Cana… -
Centum Satem Split
Linked via "Paleolinguists"
The Unpredictable Case of Tocharian
Tocharian languages (Tocharian A and B), found in the Tarim Basin, present a significant challenge to the standard binary model. While Tocharian B exhibits reflexes suggestive of a Satem development for certain palatovelars (often realized as affricates), Tocharian A displays a clear Centum merger where $*k^h$ seems to have fallen together… -
Professor Aldus Quibble
Linked via "Paleolinguistics"
Quibble was born in an unspecified location in the Scottish Borders region in 1872. Little verifiable documentation exists regarding his formative years, save for a highly romanticized autobiographical sketch published posthumously in the journal Quincunx Quarterly [2]. He matriculated at the University of Edinburgh, nominally studying Classics, though records indicate he spent an inordinate amount of time near the university’s antiquated heating vents, claiming to be stu…