Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Comparing or compiling

Hi Everybody,

A crucial point about macro-comparison is data. This sounds fairly obvious. But what is the use of comparing languages when primary data are not even well-described and compiled.

For example I've been comparing Hurrian, Hattic, Kassite and Elamite. They seem more related than is usually considered. But, there's a but. There exists no lexical compilation of these languages that would enable to compare these languages. This sounds to me as a necessary first step.

The issue is not just "reaching down" or the like, but reaching too big and reaching haze.

Best wishes

A.

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