Re: Polynesian and South American place names

From: Philip Deitiker (Donevenask_at_worlnet.att.net)
Date: 08/30/04 

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 12:54:22 GMT

benlizross <benlizro@ihug.co.nz> says in
news:413286CD.24F6@ihug.co.nz:

> Nonsense. Random distortions can produce resemblance just
> as much as non-resemblance.

Since when is language random. And if there is a genetic
connection then you would also remove the random element.

> Like so many others, you seem not to have grasped the
> concept of "chance resemblance".

When did language become a random process?

Ross, I don't think you an I are going to see eye to eye on
this. Since language evolves and is under selection it cannot be
considered a random process, therefore you are wrong. I might be
wrong about the connection, but it would not anything
specifically to do with your logic, since it is not applicable.
Since you are wrong the point I made at the very beginning is
something that is keenly applicable here, in your zealousness to
disprove any longer range links your have thrown caution to the
wind, and your statements above seem to verify this.
  The conclusion is this take caution because the similarities
may not be 'convergences' in the speaking pattern. Evolution of
language can sometime create similarly pronounced words; however
I picked about >1/2 of the name places and showed they could
easily fit into the Japanese named place repertoire (not
implying that these words came from Japan) so this is not a
simple instance of a couple 'random' events. Yes, it is
potentially true that there is convergence in spoken language
style.

Anyway, I think I have seen your prejudice here clearly enough
we don't have to continue the conversation further.

[Xposted to sci.anthropology with F'ups to sci.anthropology] 

-- 
Philip
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