This assignment is due Monday 3 January.
The map on the right shows a completely fictitious distribution of four imaginary languages: A, B, C, and D. Selected vocabulary items from these four languages are given in a table below. (English has also been given, but please don't analyze the English data; the English is just there to help you identify vocabulary items. Do take into account the meaning of the words in A, B, C and D.) Your task is this: reconstruct a hypothetical linguistic history that accounts for the data you've been given. Where possible, place the languages in family relations. Write a few paragraphs that explain the story of these languages, as far as you can reconstruct it from the data. As with all reconstructive linguistics, your answer will use a combination of logic and common sense, as well as the basic principles that we've seen inductively over the last few lessons. Propose at least one phonetic law governing the sound shifts within a family.
|
English |
Lang. A |
Lang. B |
Lang. C |
Lang D |
|
house |
glag |
gyag |
dzhag |
mino |
|
dog |
trop |
tyop |
zhop |
anaka |
|
arm |
paduk |
patu |
paduk |
fliso |
|
star |
plet |
pyet |
razakam |
rasakamu |
|
horse |
platul |
pyatu |
bzhatush |
nili |
|
strike (from work) |
zanasizi |
egrops |
yannakul |
biata |
|
wheat |
kepol |
kepo |
kepol |
asruzu |
|
tin |
aneps |
anyes |
anyeps |
anyepsu |
|
bronze |
tlakot |
tyako |
shakot |
sakoto |
|
steel |
fnigot |
fnigo |
fnigot |
nigo |
|
wind |
awaga |
awaga |
awaga |
kapu |
|
tobacco |
tabak |
tabak |
tabak |
tabaku |
|
heart |
ploto |
pyoto |
bzhotu |
panadela |
|
water |
klapal |
kyapa |
llapal |
no |
|
CD-ROM |
sidi-rom |
sidi-rom |
sidi-rom |
sidi-ramu |
|
nose |
ava |
afa |
ava |
gono |
|
fish |
plodik |
pyodi |
bzhoti |
kiri |