Re: VMs: Manchu theory

[Nick Pelling <incoming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jorge,

At 23:22 11/05/2004 -0300, Jorge Stolfi wrote:
> Nick Pelling says that the "Manchu theory" does not fit the historical
> record. Please note that all the historical dates in question refer to
> the Manchu *script*, not the Manchu *language*, which probably existed
> (modulo natural evolution) for over 1000 years -- as "Manchu",
> "Jurchen", or any other name.

I agree - but the claimed solution appears to be based on finding 50 words 
of Manchu language out of 200+ pages of (vaguely) Manchu-like script. But 
(unless I'm mistaken) this seems close to saying that within the EVA 
transcription, you can find numerous modern English words - far, shy, or, 
char (and so on).

> The "Manchu theory" is that some European visited the region sometime
> before the 15th century, invented a brand new alphabetic script for
> the local spoken language, and used that script to transcribe some
> texts dictated by local people -- scholars, astrologers, doctors,
> herbalists, whatever. (Other variants of this scenario are possible,
> of course.)

I'm really not dissing the [15th century] Chinese theory here. :-)  Rather, 
I'm just saying that a 4th century BCE date seems about two millennia out, 
which is really more than I can comfortably swallow without some 
exceptionally persuasive evidence. :-o

Cheers, .....Nick Pelling..... 


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