A Theory of Textual Reconstruction in Indo-European Linguistics

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The theory presented in this book is an attempt to extend the comparative method to linguistic structures of the highest level, i.e., to texts. It shows how fragments of Proto-Indo-European poetry can be reconstructed on the basis of etymologically related expressions, occurring in corresponding contexts in various Indo-European languages. The book also contains a chapter on the formal elements of Proto-Indo-European poetry, and an etymological survey of the poetic terminology of Indo-European languages. The book is intended primarily for Indo-Europeanists, but also for scholars of comparative literature, as its conclusions touch upon the literary prehistory of several Indo-European traditions.