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Giles Domkam posted an update in the group
3 years agoComparative Negro – Egyptian Linguistics 3 years ago · What is your opinion of this analysis of Shupamem(the language of Bamun) and AE?
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Excellent post, this is the best place to review this data, only small disagreements but major when it comes to reconstruction, this is in no way legitimate of a relationship genetically, but this is good beginners example, waiting for other reviewers, good post to be reviewed-
The basic lexicology must be examined in large amounts
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Reconstruction must be examined as well which was not demonstrated
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The reconstruction asterisks were not observed so confusion must be ruled by competent sources and citations which was not provided
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A genetic relationship is impossible to be observed from this small amount of data, more lexicology must be observed in the same manner of establishing regualrity
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Morphology wasnt observed at all
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My review is that this is just a small preliminary example of mere similarities in no way this is example of an full phonological example,
NeTer Neb Thanks
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I also observed that he used an orthographic capital S, for the term Sasa and the other homonym Sasa, there is no capital -S- in the IPA pulmonic consonants to represent any type of voiceless alveolar fricatives. So, these things are small but can have problematic and major disastrous consequences for your reconstruction, making it corrupted, which is the essential goal of applying the historical linguistic method. A small thing, but major in the reconstruction.
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I observed for the word -Nsaa- it seems this is also orthographic, did the author make any notes that the initial C1 consonant is a [N] voiced uvular nasal or is it a capital letter?
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78,718
Abibisika (Black Gold) Points
@ntrnb18, as you pointed out, the representation looks orthographic rather than phonetic. Secondarily, there is no indication how the values for Egyptien were obtained. I pointed this out to you as the fatal flaw in Mboli’s work in taking egyptological convention and placing it on the same footing as attested languages. What most non-linguists do is look for look-alikes and then they’re done (unless they want to add in a folk-etymological back story for good measure). What actual linguists do is implement a falsifiable methodology whereby they can distinguish between look-alikes and actual cognates. Doing so points them to words that do not look alike on the surface, but are indeed cognates while removing from consideration those that look alike but are actually not, in fact, cognates. That’s the comparative method.-
Exactly, when you pointed it out to me, I remembered what Dr. Rkhty Amen taught us, in the very first introduction course about transliterations is not to be pronounced. She agreed with you within 2 seconds. This is absolutely essential, historical linguists do not compare LETTERS, we compare sounds. A very basic point that can have disastrous consequences for reconstruction and the entire methodology you are presenting as you noted years ago.
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The original source of this text is a book written by Prince Dika Akwa. What he was trying to show in the book was descendants of ancient Kemetic Nysut after the 17th dynasty using genealogical correspondences and anthropological/archaeological data. His linguistic information was incomplete.
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Peter(1991) in citing Meillet(1924) says that the 2 types of comparative linguistics are that which is used to uncover universal laws and that which is used to uncover historical information. He states that the later is more important than the former because it is more useful in our day to day operations. Do you think that it is necessary to use comparative linguistics to discern universal laws about Afrikan languages or is it better to use diachronic analysis to figure out more about the historical relationships between different groups of Afrikan people?
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Giles Domkam, it seems you are having trouble with understanding historical linguistic methodology, so I must ask you a simple question, what did Peter 1991, mean by
You stated:
” 2 types of comparative linguistics are that which is used to uncover universal laws and that which is used to uncover historical information”
Your answer will actually answer your own question once you have read the text I have repeatedly giving you to study. 1) the comparative linguistic method is used to see if languages you are comparing are in fact GENETICALLY related by observing sound correspondences between extant languages or the putative languages in question (see: Grimms Law (first German Sound shift), Neo-Grammarian Hypothesis. 2) Once this degree of genetic relationship is established by observing SOUND LAWS, then you can perform a scientific reconstruction using reconstruction principles to reconstruct an ancestral form that is either attested or unattested that may have existed in times past. 3) From this same comparative linguistic methodology, you would then have to explain sound change explanations 4) then one can observe cognates to establish a more precise historical etymology. 5) What does this prove ?, according to Dr. Theophile Obenga, if two languages are genetically related SCIENTIFICALLY that means that these speakers are in FACT culturally RELATED and derived from the same speech source or centre of gravity.
You stated:
Do you think that it is necessary to use comparative linguistics to discern universal laws about Afrikan languages?
Again, what in the world is UNIVERSAL laws about African languages? You will have to explain exactly what is Peter 1991 talking about UNIVERSAL laws? but it is absolutely imperative the only way you can ESTABLISH SOUND LAWS is by observing the regular SYSTEMATIC sound correspondences between the sound classes of the surviving languages. Please, do as I ask by simply either taking a linguistic course or either by thoroughly reading the text I have giving you which is actually basic, like (Hock and Joseph 2009).
In this particular text, details the INTRODUCTION to historical linguistics, where it speaks about the Comparative method, its origins, its purposes ( Hock and Joseph, 2009: 427-472).
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Once you answer the question of WHAT is exactly universal laws are mentioned by Peter 1991, you will know exactly your answer. You will uncover the fact about universal laws, what type of linguistic methodology that probes universal laws and why Peter 1991 stated that.
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