Everything Totally Explained


Ask & we'll explain, totally!
Theo Vennemann
Totally Explained


  NEW! All the latest news in the worlds of computer gaming, entertainment, the environment,  
finance, health, politics, science, stocks & shares, technology and much, much, more.  


View this entry using RSS

Everything about Theo Vennemann totally explained

Theo Vennemann genannt Nierfeld (May 27, 1937 - ) is a German linguist known best for his work on historical linguistics, especially for his disputed theories of a Vasconic substratum and an Atlantic superstratum of European languages. He also suggested that the High German consonant shift was already completed in the early 1st century BC, and not in the 9th century AD as most experts believe.

Theories on the prehistory of European languages

Vennemann's controversial claims about the prehistory of European languages include the following:
  • The so-called Old European hydronymy, traditionally considered as Indo-European, is classified as Vasconic by Vennemann.
  • Numerous toponyms that are traditionally considered as Indo-European by virtue of their Indo-European head words are considered Vasconic names that have been adapted to Indo-European languages through the addition of the suffix.
  • Punic, the Semitic language spoken in classical Carthage, is a superstratum of the Germanic languages. According to Vennemann, Carthaginians colonized the North Sea region between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC; this is evidenced by numerous Semitic loan words in the Germanic languages, as well as structural features such as strong verbs, and similarities between Norse religion and Semitic religion. This theory replaces his older theory of a superstratum of an unknown Semitic language called "Atlantic".
  • Punic is a substratum of the Celtic languages, as shown by certain structural features of Celtic.
  • The Runic alphabet is derived directly from the Phoenician alphabet used by the Carthaginians, without intervention by the Greek alphabet.
  • The Germanic sound shift is dated to the 6th to 3rd centuries BC, as evidenced by the fact that some presumed Punic loan words participated in it, while others did not.Further Information

    Get more info on 'Theo Vennemann'.


    External Link Exchanges

    Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

      <a href="http://theo_vennemann.totallyexplained.com">Theo Vennemann Totally Explained</a>

    Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
       As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.



  • Copyright © 2007-8 totallyexplained.com | Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License | Site Map
    This article contains text from the Wikipedia article Theo Vennemann (History) and is released under the GFDL | RSS Version