James Clackson

James Peter Timothy Clackson (born 13 September 1966) is a British linguist and Indo-Europeanist. He is a professor of Comparative Philology at the Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow and Director of Studies at Jesus College, Cambridge. Quotes In summary the Indo-Europeanist’s data and method do not allow the question ‘When was PIE spoken?’ to be answered in any really meaningful or helpful way. Clackson, James (2013). The Origin of the Indic Languages – The Indo- European Model, in Perspectives on the Origin of Indian Civilization (ed. Marcantonio, Angela and Jha, Girish Nath), Dartmouth: Center for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts and New Delhi: D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. From the linguistic data alone... it is not possible to draw definite conclusions about the homeland of the speakers of PIE, or even the age of the language family. Clackson, James (2013) The origins of the Indic languages: the Indo-European model. In: Angela Marcantonio and Girish Nath Jha (eds.) Perspectives on the Origin of Indian Civilization. Dartmouth, MA: Center for India Studies, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Pp. 260–288. Quoted in Asya Pereltsvaig, Martin W. Lewis - The Indo-European Controversy (2015) What does this mean for the origin of the Indic languages, and by extension, the origin of the Indic civilization? My answer is, I am afraid, inconclusive. From the linguistic data alone, without taking into account the evidence of archaeology or early texts, it is not possible to draw definite conclusions about the homeland of the speakers of Proto-Indo-European, or even the age of the language family. The Indo-European model, as a model of language relationships and of linguistic descent, tells us nothing certain about the origin of the Indic civilization. Clackson, James (2013). The Origin of the Indic Languages – The Indo- European Model, in Perspectives on the Origin of Indian Civilization (ed. Marcantonio, Angela and Jha, Girish Nath), Dartmouth: Center for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts and New Delhi: D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. (Clackson 2013:286) Thus, in the case of Indo-European language relationships, it is possible to make the argument that the creation of a hypothesis relating the languages of Northern India to those of Europe was initially created and promulgated by nineteenth century scholars in order to promote agendas of colonialism or racism. Clackson, James (2013). The Origin of the Indic Languages – The Indo- European Model, in Perspectives on the Origin of Indian Civilization (ed. Marcantonio, Angela and Jha, Girish Nath), Dartmouth: Center for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts and New Delhi: D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. (Clackson 2013:286) External links Category:1966 births Category:Linguists from England Category:Non-fiction authors from England Category:University of Cambridge alumni Category:University of Cambridge faculty Category:Living people