Indic Languages

[Michael Witzel]

At 18:23 +0100 10/21/99, Stephen Hodge wrote:
>However, I wonder how many linguist working in this area also make use
>of genetic data ?
>According to the data in Cavelli-Sforza there are the following main
>groupings in India based on 28 population groups:
>
>1.      A big separation between Kerala Kadar against all the others,
>then
>2.      A big separation between Gukha + Tharu against the remainder,
>then

Yes,I use such data.
The Tharus are of importance as they are genetically protected against
malaria, unlike other "Indians",  and as the language substrate in Tharu is
unconnected with pother lang. families... See EJVS (below) or a forthcoming
version in "Mother Tongue" (of the Assoc. for the study of language in
prehistory; membership & journal only $ 25 per year: see their website at:
        www.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/aslip.html

>3.      A big separation between Kanet + Uttar Pradesh Brahmins, then
>Ceratinly, its inhabitants were making enrormous sea journeys at a
>very early date:  witness the discovery of Jomon Japanese pottery
>thousands of miles away in Fiji dated to 6000 BCE.

And in Ecuador...

>the huge word list compiled by Paul
>Manansala on his website giving what are apparent cognates between
>Indic languages including Sanskrit and Austronesian languages: they
>should be taken into consideration.  Some of these will no doubt be
>accidental

Unfortunately a big hotchpotch of  Austrones., clearly Indo-European (as
Austr.!) , and many other families...
Needs critical evaluation. More later...

MW>

 ==========================================================================
Michael Witzel                          Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies
Harvard University                  www1.shore.net/~india/ejvs
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