Schmalstieg William R. Indo-European Linguistics. A New Synthesis

University Park and London: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1980. — 210 p. — ISBN 0-271-00240-9.Contents: Foreword. Introduction. Chapter explanation. Method. Simplicity. Assumptions. Analogy. Universals. Proof. Monophthongizations: Evolution of the Indo-European vocalic system. Development of Slavic vocalic system. *ŏ in Tokharian. Laggard words. Proposed phonemic shifts. New diphthongs. Zero grade vocalism. Hittite -un. Alternation of short vowel plus nasal vs. long vowel in Indo-European. Noun morphology: Endings. Parallels with Caucasian languages. s- case and monophthongizations for the noun. i- and u-stem nouns. Development of Skt. rās. Stems in *-oy-s and *-ey-s. Origin of *ā̆- stem noun. Morphological vs. phonological explanation. Meanings of morphological elements. *-y and *-m - example of polymorphy. Non-singular endings. The morpheme *-n. The morpheme *-s as a genitive and plural marker. The morpheme *-y. Verb morphology: Verb derived from a nominal form. Evidence for the lack of diathesis in the older form. Pronominal forms and the verb stem. Fundamental difference in the categories of verbal endings. Original distribution of the endings. Evidence for the ablaut grade of the predesinential element. Derived verbs - Suffix *y with type (A) and (C) endings,* ey with type (B) endings. Derived verbs - Suffix *y for type (A), *oy for type (B), No suffix for type (C) (3rd plural). Suffix *ay as stem for denominative verbs. Slavic and Baltic mobile-stressed verbal paradigm. Generalizations in the distribution of root vocalism. Schematic sketch of the development of the Indo-European verb. Phonological and morphological development of the verb ‘to go’. The development of selected verbs. Heavy bases or verbal stems with apparent final laryngeal. Indo-European as a topic-prominent language: Futility of notions subject, object, active, passive as linguistic universals. Vietnamese as example. Lisu as example. D’jakonov’s theory of the origin of the ergative. Čikobava’s view of diathesis. Active languages as predecessors of ergative languages. Languages without diathesis. The use of the dative in Indo-European. The meaning of the pronoun *-to in the verbal paradigm. Lack of diathesis in Indo-European verb and parallel with Finnish. Agentive subject and parallel with Avar. Genitive case used as etymological agentive in Indo-European. Earliest fusion of pronoun *-e with verb and noun. Later fusions of pronouns *-(e/o)s with noun. Parallels with Georgian. The Georgian present tense. The development of predicate into verb and adjective and the split of dative and accusative cases in Indo-European- Parallels with Proto-Uralic. References. Notes.