Reconstruction (linguistics)

In linguistics , reconstruction means that the unknown is developed from known language material. From words attested in individual languages, older basic language word forms that are not documented are derived.

Reconstruction is a tool especially for historical-comparative linguistics (see also historical linguistics and comparative linguistics ).

Equations

Reconstruction requires relationship rules (equations). This should be explained using the following examples.

Equation 1

In the example for the first equation, the language material consists of the following four words:

Old Indian ásti
ancient Greek ἐστί estí
Latin est
Lithuanian ẽsti

These words mean "is".

The meanings of these words are the same and the forms (i.e. the phonetic form) are very similar. This concludes that the words are related and that the similarity is not accidental. This in turn leads to the conclusion that (at least here) the ancient Indian a corresponds to the Greek and Latin e .

Equation 2

In this example the language material consists of the following words:

Old Indian ájā-mi
ancient Greek ἄγω ágō
Latin agō

These words mean "I drift".

Here the ancient Indian a has the Greek and Latin equivalent a .

Equation 3

In this example the language material consists of the following words:

Old Indian aṣṭā́ (u) ( aṣṭā́ (u) with retroflexem -ṣṭ- )
ancient Greek ὀκτώ oktṓ
Latin octō
Lithuanian aštuonì

These words mean "eight".

Here the ancient Indian a has the Greek and Latin equivalent o .

Summary

From these three equations we can now conclude that the ancient Indian a in ancient Greek and Latin can have the equivalents a , e and o .

reconstruction

In this example it should be shown how a word of the Indo-European original language is reconstructed with the help of equations (correspondence rules) .

The language material is here:

Old Indian áviḥ
ancient Greek ὄϊς óïs
Latin ovis
Lithuanian avìs

These words mean 'sheep'.

From the three equations above one can conclude that the ancient Indian a in ávis can correspond to several vowels, including an ancient Greek and Latin o .

We know from other sources that there was a [ w ] sound in pre-classical ancient Greek and in certain ancient Greek dialects , which in classical ancient Greek disappeared between vowels. This sound was written Ϝ and called Digamma . So an ancient Greek form * ὄϝις * ówis can be assumed.

An Indo-European form * h₃ówis (from older * h₃éwis ) can be reconstructed from these three equations and the like . In Classical Greek would then w -According disappeared and in Sanskrit that would o to a become, not only in this word, but also in other cases.

Internal reconstruction

The previous examples were based on a comparison of different languages (external or external reconstruction). In addition, there is a further method of reconstruction which is based exclusively on documented linguistic units of the language whose older, unoccupied states are to be reconstructed.

Reconstructed words and languages

Developed words are usually marked with an asterisk (*): e.g. B. Indo-European * h₃éwis 'sheep'.

Reconstructed languages often have the prefix Ur- in the name (in English Proto- ). Thus, the original Germanic is the not handed down, but reconstructed preliminary stage of known Germanic languages such as Old High German , Old English or Old Norse .

Reconstruction is sometimes used for the purpose of reviving an extinct language.

swell

Heinz Ludwig Arnold and Volker Sinemus, Fundamentals of Literature and Linguistics , Munich 1974, Volume 2 ( Linguistics ), ISBN 3-423-04227-3 , pages 319-320.
Hans Krahe: Indo-European Linguistics, Volume I: Introduction and Phonology , Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 1966, § 5, 37.

literature

Hadumod Bußmann (Ed.): Lexicon of Linguistics. 3rd updated and expanded edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-520-45203-0 , article: Reconstruction .
Jay H. Jasanoff: Hittite and the Indo-European Verb. Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-19-928198-X .
Ernst Kausen : The Indo-European languages. From prehistory to the present. Helmut Buske Verlag, Hamburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-87548-612-4 .
Alwin Kloekhorst: Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon. Brill Leiden / Boston, 2008, ISBN 978-90-04-16092-7 .

Web links

Wiktionary: Reconstruction - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Wiktionary: internal reconstruction - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

↑ Krahe 1966, pp. 34f, 55.
↑ Krahe 1966, page 55.
↑ Krahe 1966, page 56.
↑ Krahe 1966, page 89.
↑ With h₃ a laryngeal is meant, see also the article laryngeal theory .
↑ Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprach. 4th, updated and revised edition. Metzler: Stuttgart, Weimar 2010, ISBN 978-3-476-02335-3 , article: Reconstruction .
^ Winfred P. Lehmann: Introduction to historical linguistics . Winter, Heidelberg 1969. Chapter: The method of internal reconstruction .

[1] Krahe 1966, pp. 34f, 55.

[2] Krahe 1966, page 55.

[3] Krahe 1966, page 56.

[4] Krahe 1966, page 89.

[5] With h₃ a laryngeal is meant, see also the article laryngeal theory .

[6] Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprach. 4th, updated and revised edition. Metzler: Stuttgart, Weimar 2010, ISBN 978-3-476-02335-3 , article: Reconstruction .

[7] Winfred P. Lehmann: Introduction to historical linguistics . Winter, Heidelberg 1969. Chapter: The method of internal reconstruction .