The observations which follow are not primarily concerned with the signe zéro in descriptive linguistics, with zero allomorphs within morphemes, or with zero morphemes within paradigms. Nor are they concerned with the problem of dealing with pauses or of setting up segments without body or even duration but still with recognizable attributes, as is the case with junctures. Those are special cases where a state of affairs otherwise ignored, namely the absence of any segment, acquires special importance. In passing we also note the opposite instance: empty morphs disappear from the picture as we pass to higher and relevant levels of grammar, and the same is true in phonology of transitional stretches like glides and releases whose occurrence can be regarded as predictable and which therefore vanish in the act of phonemicizing.

Some linguists, it is said, believe in the existence of a uniform Proto-Indo-European, others do not. From two reviews of earlier writings of mine, it would appear that I hold both views simultaneously; but I do not. I should not be reluctant to admit that I have, between the earlier and the later publication in question, changed my mind; but I have not.

The Gothic letter that is now usually transcribed as w occurs in the MSS as a cursive form of the Greek majuscule Y. So far as scribal spelling is concerned, this letter creates no complications; it is used consistently and without confusion in both native and foreign words. On the other hand, modern interpretations of Go. w may become fairly complex, involving nuances of pronunciation that the scribes either disregarded or failed to recognize. All told, Go. w has been assigned five different values—two vocalic, one semivocalic, one spirant, and one purely non-phonetic.

In the state of Assam, India, and in adjoining Tripura, a number of Tibeto-Burman languages and dialects are spoken which are generally referred to collectively as the Bodo group. The linguistic affinity of these languages has been recognized for over a century, and from time to time comparative vocabulary lists from two or more of the languages have been published to demonstrate their relation to each other and, more broadly, to other languages of the Tibeto-Burman family. The Linguistic Survey of India recognized Bodo as one of the major groups of the Assam branch of Tibeto-Burman; no more extensive comparative vocabulary than this contains has yet appeared. The existence of Bodo as a reasonably well defined subgroup of Tibeto-Burman has long been accepted, and there seems no reason to question this judgment.

[The phonological analysis of Saigon Vietnamese presents problems of indeterminacy, multiple analyses, and asymmetry. The phonetic structure of the dialect is described here in detail and certain of these problems are discussed. Special attention is called to the general problem of asymmetry in phonological analysis, and a principle involving it is proposed for general theory. A specific procedure is outlined for applying the principle, and the application is illustrated by examples from the description of Saigonese.]

This paper has a threefold purpose. It aims first to call attention to shortcomings in the existing theory of internal reconstruction. Second, it makes suggestions for a revised theory. And finally, it illustrates and amplifies these suggestions by applying them to the reconstruction of pre-Seneca from the synchronic data available in my Seneca morphology.