Centum and Satem languages
According to a model that is outdated today, the branches of the Indo-European language family can be divided into two groups: Kentum languages and Satem languages . This distinction is based on the development of the original palatal palatal sounds ( tectals ) * k̑, * g̑ and * g̑ʰ.
- In the Centum languages these sounds lost their palatal character and thus coincided with the velar palate sounds * k, * g and * gʰ. The labiovelars * kʷ, * gʷ and * gʷʰ were preserved.
- In contrast , in the satem languages the inherited palatal palatal sounds were palatalized , i.e. H. regularly developed into different voiceless or voiced sibilants or affricates . The velar and labiovelar palate sounds collapsed into a series of sounds by giving up the rounding of the lips.
The terms Kentum and Satem languages are derived from two words for "hundred", namely the Latin centum and the Jungavestian satəm .
August Schleicher , Franz Bopp and others originally took the view that the Kentum languages were the western branch of the Indo-European languages and that the Satem languages were the eastern branch. It was believed that the division was due to an early branch according to family tree theory. These views have now been relativized and as a theory only have historical significance.
Sound shifts in the Kentum and Satem languages
The differentiation based on the sound shifts shows the development of three isoglosses within the Indo-European language family based on the dorsal consonants . For the Indo-European proto-language were tektale plosives reconstructed the three articulation places in the area of the palate roof are formed: palatals be (hard) on the front palate and Velare at rear (soft) palate articulated ; Labiovelars are articulated like velars, but with a rounded lip.
| palatal | velar | labio velar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voiceless plosives | k̑ | k | kʷ |
| Voiced plosives | G | G | G |
| Aspirated voiced plosives | G | G | G |
The continuations in the Indo-European branches can be roughly divided into two groups:
- In the Centum languages , the palatals coincided with the velars (* k, * k̑ → * k), while the labiovelars were preserved. In Latin, * k̑m̥tóm became centum (Latin <c> is pronounced as / k /). Other Centum languages are Greek , Germanic , Celtic , Hittite and Tocharian .
- In the Satemsprachen fell contrast labiovelars and velar plosives together (k *, k * → * k) and the palatal * K was gradually added to a sibilant / s / and / ʃ / . This sound change occurred z. B. in the Indo-Iranian languages , which include Sanskrit , Persian and Avestian . In Avestan, * k̑m̥tóm became satəm . This process also occurred in the early Slavic and Baltic languages as well as in Albanian . - In some of the subsequent Latin talks, a similar development later happened; the Latin centum in Spanish today is called cien / θien /, in French cent / sɑ̃ / and in Italian cento / 'tʃɛnto /.
The Kentum / Satem distinction can be summarized as follows (using the example of voiceless plosives):
| palatal | velar | labio velar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protoindo-European | k̑ | k | kʷ |
| Centum languages | k | kʷ | |
| Satellite languages | k̑ | k | |
Relevance of the classification
A hundred years ago, it was assumed that Indo-European was first divided into two languages: a Kentu language in the west and a Satem language in the east. All of the western Indo-European languages known at the time appeared to be Kentum languages and all eastern Satem languages.
But it was not only the discovery of the “Kentum-linguistic” Hittite and even more of the Tocharian , discovered in what is now China, that contradicts this assumption. For example, the Sateem-language Armenian is closest to the Kentum-language Greek. Even within the Anatolian branch there is a Kentu language with Hittite, but z. For example, Luwian and Lycian are a satellite development of the palatals and not a coincidence of the three tectal plosive series. In addition, the satemisation only took place at a time when the individual languages had already developed.
Therefore this sound change does not provide anything for the question of the breakdown. The actual circumstances are much more complex. For example, in a simplistic model pedigree the Sprachkontakte not considered, they are (on the right see. Graph) However, for proper reconstruction of the evolution indispensable.
In non-scientific circles, the striking difference between Kentum and Satem languages is still wrongly used for a genealogical subdivision of the Indo-European languages.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ JP Mallory; DQ Adams (Ed.): The Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture 1997, p. 461.
- ↑ Hans Krahe: Introduction to comparative language studies. Institute for Comparative Linguistics at the University of Innsbruck 1970, ISBN 3-85124-500-8 , p. 43 ( Online , PDF)
- ↑ Michael Meier-Brügger: Indo-European Linguistics . 8th, revised and expanded edition. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2002, p. 130, 134 .
- ↑ Ignacio Javier Adiego: Greek and Lycian . In: Anastasios-Phoibos Christidis (Ed.): A History of Ancient Greek. From the Beginnings to Late Antiquity . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2007, ISBN 978-0-521-83307-3 , pp. 766-767 .
- ^ Johann Tischler: Hundred years of kentum-satem theory. Indo-European Research (1990) 95: 63-98
- ↑ Michael Meier-Brügger (2010: L339), Indo-European Linguistics. Berlin: De Gruyter
- ↑ Wolfram Euler and Konrad Badenheuer, Language and Origin of the Germanic Peoples. Verlag Inspirations Un Limited, Frankfurt 2009: 36
- ↑ Wolfram Euler and Konrad Badenheuer, Language and Origin of the Germanic Peoples. Verlag Inspirations Un Limited, Frankfurt 2009: 29.36
- ↑ JP Mallory; DQAdams (Ed.): "Proto-Indo-European". Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture. London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1997, ISBN 1-884964-98-2 , p. 461.