Nyelvtudományi Közlemények 96. kötet (1998-1999)

Tanulmányok - Dezső László: Typological Comparison of Root Structuring in Uralic and Early Indo-European. [Az uráli és korai indoeurópai tőstruktúrák tipológiai összevetése] 3

Typological Comparison of Root Structuring in Uralic and Early Indo-European 31 be introduced by a treatment of the vowel system, relevant also to palatalization. In the presentation I shall follow the order which is opposite my concrete research: the major statements will precede the data of Uralic etymons of which only the safe reconstructions will figure Щ according to UEW and the Proto-Uralic etymons of Sammalahti's list: 1988: 536—41). As my discussion aims to open further research and is problematic, I shall present all data relevant to the topic, which extends to 70% of Uralic etyma in UEW. The data of UEW will be reduced to phonemic form without indicating meaning and page. 4.1. On the Vowel System As we have seen, there could be a plausible systemic correspondence between Northern Eurasian (Eurasic) and Uralic vowel system: high i > i, e\ > e, и > и, low e2 > ä, a (< O]) > a, o2 > o. Beside these systemic changes, there could be more or less frequent changes: back movement with or without rounding: i > ii, i > y, e > e without rounding and a > à with rounding. In this way we arrive at the systems proposed by Sammalahti and Rédei. Front movement with the possible loss of rounding could also be possible: u> y, ii> i. In the process of reduction of V2, и and о were changed according to both versions. The resulting system shows the opposition of high and low (Sammalahti) or middle and low (Rédei) vowels. The front-back opposition was relevant in both: / and>>, ä and и (Sammalahti); e and e, ä and a (Rédei) because e could follow both front and back Vj vowels. The change of w, о in V2 position could give a rounding colouring of the preceding consonant which could have been transferred to Vi: /, у > и, ü; e, e > о; ä > á, а > à. In this way, these unrounded vowels were changed into rounded which also implied back movement. The front movement preceded back movement and the latter took place after palatalization of the consonants preceding front vowels. 4.2. On a possible process of palatalization According to Ruhlen's data (1976) and Décsy's diachronic generalizations (1991: 19), the system of Uralic stops: p, t, к was not preceded by an earlier stage in which there were voiced pairs: b, d, g. Voiced m, n, I, r, w, j have hardly undergone any changes. The sibilants are widespread in the languages of the world, but Proto-Dravidian had no sibilants. The affricates are infrequent in certain areas and Indo-European has no affricates. Palatalization is a frequent diachronic process, it was characteristic to Uralic and also took place in the Altaic group. In the process of palatalization a feature can be added: n, l', s or the palatalized consonant can be changed: t and к change into an affricate or a sibilant. The probability of the palatalization of / is