by Patrick C. Ryan
(7/20/97)
The purpose of this short essay is to establish as a hypothesis that IE and Altaic are both
descended from a common ancestor, which, I term the Proto-Language --- from the form into
which it had developed by about 60-40K BPE.
This date is based on the estimates of Cavalli-Sforza for the separation of the peoples of Asia
and Europe (The Great Human Diasporas, p. 123) from the "main" branch of the people
speaking the Proto-Language.
During this phase of development, the Proto-Language was passing out of a ergative-type
morphology into an nominative-type morphology (G. A. Klimov).
SOV is the earliest Altaic word-order, corresponding to SOV established by W. P. Lehmann for
IE; SOV word-order stems from the earliest syntax of the Proto-Language, in which the
transitive subject is only loosely linked to the object-verb, which is primary; this is proved by the
invariable rectum-regens word order of Altaic (except Northern Tungus).
Phonologically, it had already reached a stage of development in which the oldest semantic
contrasts of C+E/ C+A/ C+O had been replaced by CyV/ CV/ CwV.
In the Table of Correspondence found after the listing of lexical cognates below, the column
entitled PROTO-LANGUAGE shows the earliest syllables before vocalic contrasts were
replaced by a contrast of glides and no glide (during the Pontic stage: 60-40K BPE).
Similar tables of equivalence can and have been constructed for the Proto-Language, IE and
Afrasian (Egyptian and Arabic), Altaic, Beng (Southern Mandé), Hurrian, Japanese,
Mon/Hmong, Nama (Khoisan), (Sino-)Tibetan, Sumerian, and Uralic.
PL / IE / ALTAIC LEXICAL
COMPARISONS
(IE entries in parentheses are keywords in Pokorny 1959 unless marked by *)
[bold entries are Proto-Altaic, taken from Street 1974]
(1)?A-P[H]O-K[H]O, in aba-ká (from *aba-ga?), "paternal uncle"; (IE appa +ko, "little" ?)
(2)HHA-R[H]A, arï, "purify, become pure"; (IE 3. ar- {"white"}; in ar(e)g[^]-)
(3)?A-P[H]A, ab-, "take, grasp"; (IE 1. ap-)
(4)P[?]O-FA-N[H]A, bo:l-, "become"; (IE bheul-, listed under 2. b(e)u-)
(5)P[H]O-$E-T[H]O-F[H]A, bedü, "large"; (IE pei-tu- {fat}, listed under pey(6)-)
(6)P[?]O-FA-$E, bü, "be"; (IE b(h)ewi-, listed under bheu-)
(7)T[H]A-MO-$E, dem, "futile, rude"; (IE temy-, listed under 2. tem-)
(8)T[?]E-FE-K[?]XO, dok, "lame, limping"; (IE deuk-, "*drag" {cf. Latin du:co:})
(9)T[?]A-N[H]A-$E, del-, "spread, extend"; (IE dely-, listed under 5. del-; cf. also (d)longho-with del-ge-)
(10)?A-T[H]O-$E, dí(n), "master, owner"; (IE atta, listed under a/a:tos)
(11)?E-RE-$A, eR, "dig, scratch"; (IE *Hrey-, under 1. rei-)
(12)?A-$E-RO-$E, e:re, "man, male"; (IE *Hayry- in Avestan airyo:, listed under aryo-)
(13)HHE-"HHE = HHE-"$E, i:-, "come"; "HHE-HHE = "HHE-$E; e, "go"; (IE *Hey-, listed under 1. ei-)
(14)K[?]E-$E, je, "sharp"; (IE g[^]e:i-)
(15)K[?]A-$E-FA, je:-, "eat"; (IE in g[^](y)eu-, listed under g(y)eu-)
(16)KX[H]O-RE, kar-, "dig, scrape, scratch"; (IE 4. (s)ker-)
(17)MO-HHA-F[H]A-RO-$E, mö:r, "river, water"; (IE me:ury-, listed under 1. meu-)
(18)N[H]E-F[H]A-K[?]A, nyog, "green, grass"; (IE 1. leug-)
(19)N[H]E-MO, nyïm, "thin, soft, weak"; (IE 1. lem-)
(20)N[H]E-K[?]O-$O, nyaga:-, "decay, rot, putrefy"; (IE legy-, listed under 1. leg-)
(21)NE-$E-P[?]FO-$O, nyapa:-, "paste to, adhere to"; (IE *leibhy-, listed under 1. leip-)
(22)NA-M[H]A-$O, neme-, "add to, increase"; (IE *nemy-, under 1. nem-)
(23)NE-XE-FA, nyüc, "naked"; (IE nogw-; normally, we would expect *leg[^]w-; I cannot explain this discrepancy)
(24)SE-K[?]O-FA, sac, "scatter, sow"; (IE *segw-, under 1. seg-)
(25)S[H]E-$E-P[?]A-FA, sipü:-, "sift, scoop up, sweep"; (IE *seibu- from seib-, listed under seip-)
(26)SA-RE-$O, sir (*siR), "sinew, tendon"; (IE sery-, listed under 4. ser-)
(27)SE-$E-K[?]E-$O, sige:-, "urinate"; (IE *seig[^](y)- {Germanic}, under seikw-); the length is unexplained
(28)SE-$E-X[H]O-$O, sïcï (*sici), "defecate, have diarrhea"; (IE seikw-)
(29)HHE-N[H]A-F[H]A, ola-, "cross, ford"; (IE eleu-, listed under 6. el-)
(30)N[H]E-KX[H]O, nyïk, "knead, mash, strike"; (IE *lak- in (s)lak-)
(31)NO-$O-T[H]O, nayïda, "suppose, hope, suspect, envy"; (IE nei-to-, listed under 2. nei-)
(32)HHA-P[?]O-RO-HA, a-ba:r, "a kind of cheese or beer"; (IE *a:, *water +*bh(e)re:, listed under 2. bher-)
(33)QO-FA-RE, agúR, "steam, anger, mouth, lips(?)"; (IE *angu-r, under ang[^]h-; ang[^]hen-)
(34)HHE-R[H]E, a:L-, "pass over, pass by"; (IE 3.er-)
(35)HA-$E, ayï-, "talk"; (IE 5. ai-)
(36)P[H]A-HA-T[?]A-SO, bas-, "tread"; (IE pe:ts- in Lithuanian pa[~]dz[v] iai, "drum-support", listed under 2. pe/e:d-); (cf. Egyptian pds, "stamp flat, flatten")
(37)HHA-R[H]A-P[?]FA ("white-chin{beard}"), arpa(y), "barley"; (IE *arbh-, "*grain", in Middle Irish arbor, "grain", listed incorrectly under ar(6)-)
(38)?A-S[H]A, asa-, "cling to; hang (up, on)"; (IE e/e:s-, "sit")
(39)T[?]O-P[?]A, daba, "climb over, excel"; (IE *deb- {Germanic tap-}; (cf. Egyptian tp)
(40)T[H]O-HA-K[?]A=N[H]A, dagï:-la-, "prepare food"; (IE te:g-)
(41)T[H]A-K[?]XA-FA, daku, "pelt, coat with fur outside"; (IE 1. (s)teg- {for *tegh-; tegu-?})
(42)XO-R[H]O-$O, ci:Li, "swell up"; (IE *g[w]ele:y-, under 2. g[w]el-)
(43)XA-?A-P[?]FO-?A, cïpï, "to be evil, unpleasant"; (IE g[w]e:b(h)-)
(44)X[H]E-KX[H]A, cïkï(n), "side of the face"; (IE k[w]ek[^]- {for *k[^][w]ek[h]-})
(45)T[?]A-$E-FA-R[H]A, dör, "burn"; (IE de:i-ro {for *deyur-}, listed under 1. dei-)
(46)T[?]O-N[H]O, dolï-, "exchange, ransom"; (IE 1. del-)
(47)T[?]E-N[H]A, de:l, "mane"; (IE 2. del-)
(48)T[?]E-N[H]A-QE ("swinging-milk"), deleq, "udder"; (IE in 2. del-)
(49)T[?]A-N[H]A-$O-P[?]FO-$A, delpe, "asunder, in pieces"; (IE *dely-, under 3. del- + -bhi{cf. Old Irish dolb(a)id, "forms"})
(50)T[?]A-N[H]A, dïl, "head" ("*face/profile?"); (IE 3. del-)
(51)TS[H]A-$A, te-, "be located on"; (IE *ta:i, under sta:-)
(52)TS[H]A-$A-P[?]A-FA, tebü:-, "gather, collect"; (IE *te:ib-, under ste/e:ib(h)-)
(53)TS[H]E-$E-TS[H]E-$E, ti:ti-, "poke, prick" {"pull apart, tremble", belong to a different root}; (IE (s)tei-)
(54)TS[H]A-T[H]O, tï:da-, "to be able, conquer, prevent"; (IE sta:-t-, "obstacle", under sta:-)
(55)T[?]SE-P[?]FE-$E(=KX[H]E) ("finger-toe-like=claw, nail"), tepe:-(k-), "strike with the feet, paw at"; (IE *dhebhy-, under dhebh-)
(56)TS[H]O-NA-HA, tï:n, "life, calm" {"breath" is from a different root}; (IE tena:-, under 1. ten-)
(57)T[?]SE-?A-NA, tï:n, "breath"; (IE dhe:n-, under dhe:(i)-); the length is unexplained
(58)TS[H]O-F[H]A-RO, tura, "fortification, town, structural support"; (IE 2. twer-)
(59)TS[H]A-F[H]A-RE-$E, türe, "boot-leg" (for "*leg-wrapping?"); (IE *twery-, under 1. twer-); this is, obviously, speculative
(60)TS[H]O-MO-FA, toma-, "twist or spin" ("thread, rope"); (IE *temw-, under stem- {s + tem-})
(61)T[?]SE-FA-NA-?A-?E, tü:n(e), "dark, obscure, night"; (IE dhwen(6)-, listed under 4. dheu-)
(62)T[?]SO-FA-R[H]A-$E, tür, "spawn, fish-eggs"; (IE *dheury- in English sturgeon); this is, obviously, very speculative
(63)TS[H]E-RE-$A, teR-, "run, flee"; (IE *te:ry-, listed incorrectly under 1. (s)ter-)
(64)TS[H]A-RO-HHA, tara, "disperse, scatter"; (IE *(s)tre:-, under 5. (s)ter-)
(65)S[H]O-NA, sïn-, "test, investigate"; (IE *sen-, in sent-)
(66)S[H]E-F[H]A-$E-NA, sö:n-, "go out, be extinguished"; (IE *swe:i-, in (s)wendh-; cf. also swi:-)
(67)S[H]E-N[H]A, sïlï-, "choose, select"; (IE 3. sel-)
(68)SA-FA-KX[H]A-$O, söke-, "rebuke, scold"; (IE swek-, listed under sweng-; "switch?")
(69)SA-$A ("strong-eye"), sa:-, "think, consider, count"; (IE *sei-, under 2. sek[w]- {alternate form SA-$A-K[H]O-FA})
(70)KX[H]E-F[H]A-KX[H]E(-F[H]A)-$E, kö:ke, "blue, sky"; (IE *k[^]euk[^]-, "high", under 2. keu-)
(71)KX[H]O-F[H]A-T[?]SO, ko:ta, "enclosure"; (IE (s)keudh-, listed under 2. (s)keu-)
(72)Q[H]O, aq, "crack, cleft"; (IE 2. ank-)
(73)QA, aq, "wild animal"; (IE ang-, "*claw, *track", listed under 2. ank-)
(74)?E-RA-?A, a:r(á), "between"; (IE er6-, listed under 5. er-); (cf. Egyptian i3t, "middle")
(75)?A-RA-FA, aru, "rear, back"; (IE in ers-); (cf. Egyptian i3t, "back")
(76)P[?]O-FA-K[?]O-$O-FA, bögü, "loop, ring"; (IE *beugy-, under 3. bheug-)
(77)P[?]O-FA-K[?]XO-$O, böke, "hump, bend"; (IE *beughy-, under 3. bheug-)
(78)P[?]O-FA-K[?]O-FA, buca, "return"; (IE *beugw-, under 1. bheug-; 3. bheug-)
(79)P[?]O-R[H]E-F[H]A, bur- (for *buR?), "rotate rapidly"; (IE *beru-, under 1. bhre:u-)
(80)P[?]O-N[H]A-F[H]A, bul-, "be confused, turbulent"; (IE *belu-, under 2. bhle:u-)
(81)T[H]A-R[H]E, daL-, "conceal, protect"; (IE 3. (s)ter-)
(82)T[H]A-N[H]A-?A-(FA), da:l-u, "shoulder"; (IE *stle:-, under 2. (s)tel-)
(83)T[?]E-PF[H]A(-KX[H]E-?A), in dapá-kï, "unworked wool, tangled hair"; (IE deph-)
(84)T[H]A-K[?]A-$O, deg, "over, high"; (IE 1. (s)teg-)
(85)QE-N[H]A-?A-MO, ge:l(m)e-, "fear, be afraid"; (IE gle:m-, listed under 1. gel- {"clammy"})
(86)QA-$E-?A ("marrow-like"), ge:-, "be bright"; (IE in g[^]el- {+N[H]A})
(87)QO-FA, go, "molt"; (IE *geu-, "*form balls", under ge:u-)
(88)QO-RO-?A, ga:r(a), "hand, arm"; (IE gere-, listed under 1. ger-)
(89)HHE-$E-R[H]A, e:r-, "early"; (IE a/a:ier-)
(90)K[?]O-RE-FA-$O, göre-, "weave, twist"; (IE greu-, listed under 3. ger-)
(91)QA-N[H]A-FA, gul-, "burn (something), light"; (IE *gla:w-, under g[^]el-)
(92)K[?]E-NA-?A-FA, gunï, "think, grieve"; (IE g[^]ne:-wo-s, under 2. g[^]en-)
(93)K[?]A-FA-T[?]O-$E(-?), güdi-gé, "stomach (for animals)"; (IE geud-, listed under ge:u-)
(94)?E-RE-$O, ï:R, "edge, border, track"; (IE *Hrei-, under 1. rei-)
(95)$A-HHE-SE-FA, ï:su, "soot, smoke"; (IE *yesw-, under yes-)
(96)KX[H]O-T[?]A, kad-, "mow, cut, prick"; (IE sk(IE h)ed-)
(97)K[?]E-$E-RE-FA, jï:R-u-, "draw, scratch, write"; (IE *g[^]er- in gerebh-; cf. also (s)kreu-, listed under 4. (s)ker-)
(98)K[?]E-$E-QE-T[H]O-$E, jigde, "some kind of berry (bitter, sour?)"; (IE geig[^]-)
(99)KX[H]O-P[?]A(-FA-R[H]O), kabu:L(á), "skin, peel"; (*kab-, under 2. (s)ke/e:p-)
(100)Q[H]A-Q[H]A, kak, "dried dirt, sediment"; (IE kakka)
investigate a second set of root
cognates
PL MORPHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS IN ALTAIC
(not included under lexical headings)
The correspondence of 199 roots and 30+ formants suffices for a preliminary study to
establish the presumption of a genetic relationship.
to investigate these phonological correspondences in detail, see the
TABLE OF PL / IE / ALTAIC CORRESPONDENCES
NOTATIONAL CONVENTIONS
Proto-Language
E, A, O,
P[?], P[H], P[?]F, PF[H], F, F[H], T[?], T[H], T[?]S, TS[H], S, S[H], K[?], K[H], K[?]X, KX[H], X, X[H], M, M[H], N, N[h], Q, Q[H], R, R[H], ?, H, $, HH
([?] indicates glottalization; [H] indicates aspiration; Q = /ng/, a voiced dorsal nasal; ?
=voiceless laryngal (glottal) stop; $ is a voiced pharyngal fricative; HH is a voiceless
pharyngal fricative)
Indo-European
e, a, o
b, bh, p, p[h], w, d, dh, t, t[h], s, g, g[^], gh, g[^]h, k, k[^], k[h], k[^][h], g[w], g[^][w], k[w],
k[^][w], m, n, (n)g, (n)g[^], (n)k, (n)k[^], r, l, l[^], L, H
([h] indicates aspiration; [^] indicates a palatalization; [w] indicates velarization; L
indicates a velar /l/; l[^] indicates a palatal /l/; Hindicates an unspecified "laryngeal")
(When IE s-mobile is combined with an initial voiced stop or affricate, the stop or affricate
is de-voiced; when combined with -r, a /t/ is inserted [s-t-r-].)
--- Ca/e/o -> Ca (various) ---
(Proto-)Altaic
The notation and the roots discussed above follow the reconstructions of John Street in his
"On the Lexicon of Proto-Altaic: A Partial Index to Reconstructions", 1974, Madison,
Wisconsin, USA --- except I have not indicated those e's which Street distinguishes with a
superior dot.
(Proto-)Altaic Phonemes:
k, g, q (/ng/),
c (/tsh/), j (/dzh/), ny,
t, d, n,
p, b, m,
y, s,
r (r1), R (r2), l (l1), L (l2);
i, ü, ï, u,
e, ö, a, o,
: (long vowel); ' (high pitch).
for modifications of the vowels and consonants in combination, see the
Table of Modifications
In order for readers to judge the semantic plausibility of the analysis of Proto-Language
(PL) compounds suggested here, I am including access to a table of Proto-Language Monosyllables and the meanings I have
provisionally assigned:
most assignments can be exhaustively supported by data from actually attested forms but a
few animates are very doubtful; and this list does not represent the "final" solution of these
questions, which will only be approached when other scholars assist in refining it.
Patrick C. Ryan
Summer 1997
the latest revision of this document can be found at
HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/Athens/Forum/2803/comparison.ALTAIC.8.htm
Patrick C. Ryan * 9115 West 34th Street - Little Rock, AR 72204-4441* (501)227-9947
PROTO-LANGUAGE@WorldNet.att.net