2931: Laryngeal Theory Dec 30, 2024

Any language with the ‘proto-’ suffix means that it is an unattested language that has been reconstructed based on working backwards based off of known shifts in the language and comparing related languages and dialects.

Laryngeal theory is a significant concept in historical linguistics, particularly for understanding the phonological evolution of Indo-European languages. It posits that Proto-Indo-European (PIE) had a series of sounds, known as laryngeals—i.e. produced in the larynx—which have since disappeared in descendant languages. These sounds are thought to possibly resemble pharyngeal [​​ʕ] or glottal fricatives [h]. Though they left no direct trace in the written records of languages like Greek, Latin, or Sanskrit, evidence for their existence comes from irregularities in vowel shifts and consonantal patterns observed in ancient languages. Eventually, though not conclusive, it was discovered that Hittite may have preserved some remnants of these sounds. Notably Hittite was only deciphered and determined to be an Indo-European languages in the 20th century, after the theory was posited.

Phonologically, laryngeals are believed to have influenced surrounding vowels and consonants, causing vowel changes like the development of different vowel grades (e.g., short versus long vowels) or the appearance of certain consonants that don't fit typical PIE sound patterns. In some cases, these laryngeals may have caused the loss of specific consonants or the creation of new ones in daughter languages. For example, in Hittite, h1, h2, and h3 (the three proposed laryngeal sounds) are reflected in specific consonantal patterns, while in other languages, their impact is seen in vowel changes or the creation of y or w-like sounds. 

This is also why in addition to the parenthesis and superscript letters—just look at the proposed root for ‘whale’: *(s)kʷálos—you will often find roots proposed with H+number for one of these presumed laryngeals.