River Sarasvati: Atomic scientists reconfirm location

[Michael Witzel]

Amusing:

> Paul Kekai Manansala:
MW:
>> > Think again: the Rgveda, due to its near-perfect ORAL transmission...

>The history of the oral transmission is not known. The oral transmission
>that we know now is very good, but it might not have always been that
>way.

Opinions, opinions, opinions. The problem is YOU do not know about RV
tradition. It has been studied at great length for more than 100 years.
That's INDOLOGY.  We know very well the (few) cases where it is deficient.
I suggest, before speculating,  some reading up on oral transmission in
Madhav Deshpande's recent AV Pratisakhya ed. & transl.  & comm.

HOS, Volume 52. Saunakîya Caturâdhyâyikâ. A Prâtisâkhya of the Saunakîya
Atharvaveda, with the commentaries Caturâdhyâyîbhâsya,
Bhârgava-Bhâskara-Vrtti and
Pancasandhi, critically edited, translated & annotated by MADHAV M.
DESHPANDE. 1997. Pages, vi, 815.
see:  http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/hos.htm


Even more amusing:

>>> Archaeology, anthropology, genetics, etc., are the 'harder' approaches

>> Ever noticed that archaeologists,
>> anthropologists,
>> even geneticists
>> INTERPRET their data?  And always differently...

>The history of linguistics is not very much different. Nor do linguists
>today agree with each other, check out Nostratic theory, Proto-World,
>EuroAsiatic, etc.

So, now suddenly,  *all* of them INTERPRET their data?  --  That's real
progress...

Finally, I cringe:

Of course, I am aware of Nostratics, as the list archives will show, and
see the MOTHER TONGUE/LONG RANGER website that I have arranged & host:
http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/aslip.html
(or via :   http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm   ...)

ke garne? que fare? doo suru? and what more to say ??

=======
Michael Witzel
Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University
2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138

ph. 617-496 2990 (also messages)
home page:     www.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm

Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies:         www1.shore.net/~india/ejvs