GENGO KENKYU (Journal of the Linguistic Society of Japan)

The present article begins with a comment on Professor Bolinger's disquisition on ‘Linear Modification’ published in PMLΑ 67: 1117-44, then procceding to reconsider from a fresh point of view the principles underlying the distinction of the endocentric and exocentric constructions which have been maintained by structural linguists ever since L. Bloomfield. Especially, the writer subdivides this latter construction into two classes ‘accentric’ and‘concentric.’.

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Approximately twenty years ago, Prof. Kodzu has contributed an article to this journal as to the IE. Ablaut problem, where he discussed the development of this theory, starting from de Saussure's Memoire to Kurylowicz's Études. Since then not a few excellent attempts have been made in order to explain difficult and complicated forms, using this new theory. This paper deals with the various interpretations concerning the lost phoneme or its variants, -the interpretations made later than that time. The three main attitudes towards the new theory are:(1) attitude defying it, (2) attitude to reconstruct laryngeals by making the Hittite language as its main source, (3) attitude to adapt it into the traditional system. Of these three, the last one would probably be most significant to us. In solving the doubts thrown on the laryngeal theory by so many scholars, it would be helpful if we could clarify the distinction between the reduced grade and the zero and replace e idg. with e cons. on the basis of the newly introduced hypothesis. When we carefully examine this matter, it is noticed that the laryngeal theory has not yet been so well established as the coefficients sonantiques. Accordingly we shall be forced to either follow some new thoughts after forming it ourselves, or reconsider the matters concerning the grades which have long been tried.

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