‹ BackHN Continuity

Thread

Pre-Greek: The lost language hidden within Ancient Greek

196 points · 74 comments · axiologist

  1. TFNA · · focus · HN ↗
    The title is super-clickbaity, as no Indo-Europeanist working today believes in a single Pre-Greek language; this was the idée fixe of the scholar Robert Beekes well over a decade ago now, and very flawed research as Beekes was succumbing to dementia then. In fact, within the field "Pre-Greek!" has become something of an inside joke.

    The article does eventually mention the current state-of-the-art, but only after perpetuating the misconception for some paragraphs, and that is poor form for a pop-sci article.

    1. lordleft · · focus · HN ↗
      I don’t agree with this characterization of the article at all. What you see as clickbaity I see as using a reductive idea to set the stage for a more complex one. I just think this is good, engaging writing.
Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.