Item

Abstract

This chapter addresses one of the major objections raised against the genealogical relationship of the Transeurasian languages, notably the paucity of basic vocabulary in both quantity and quality. In contrast to the frequently uttered concern that the Transeurasian languages do not have enough basic vocabulary in common, it shows that there are 93 etymologies for 64 different concepts on the Leipzig-Jakarta basic vocabulary 100 list. From the viewpoint of quality of the evidence, the etymologies display regular sound correspondences and empirically supportable semantic latitude. Providing evidence for the exclusion of borrowing and coincidence as an alternative account of the similarities, this chapter shows that inheritance is the most sensible explanation of the observed correlations between the Transeurasian languages.