Proto-Uralic

Abstract

Abstract The chapter presents an overview of the common protolanguage of all Uralic languages: its phonematics, morphology, morphosyntax, and lexicon. Uralic comparative linguistics is a highly developed field of research, and many aspects of the structure of Proto-Uralic can be reconstructed reasonably well. However, there are still problems and lacunae, owing to the shallow philological record and the highly uneven state of research and description of present-day Uralic languages. Beside the attempt at a systematic reconstruction of the structure of Proto-Uralic, the chapter also presents a brief critique of some misguided principles of explanation which have become well-established in mainstream reconstructions of Proto-Uralic morphology and syntax, such as the tendency to base morphological reconstructions almost exclusively on phonological correspondences. The chapter ends with a critical analysis of diverse hypotheses concerning the possible relatedness of Uralic with other language families.