Subject: the comparative method and syntactic reconstructionthe ongo discussion in the list about the comparative method have raise question about its applicability to syntactic reconstruction . i have the impression that with increase frequency , one come across statement such as the follow in the literature : " most of the attest language in language family x have some syntactic property . therefore we can assume that proto - x have this property . " or " of all the language in family y , only language ( a ) have some particular syntactic property . therefore we can assume that this property of ( a ) be an innovation not present in proto - y . " in other word , there be the tacit assumption that the comparative method can be apply to syntax . but can it ? could anything resemble latin syntax be reconstruct through comparison of the syntax of the modern romance language ? most of the modern germanic language be svo . should we therefore reconstruct proto - germanic ( almost surely incorrectly ) as svo ? standard introduction to historical linguistics ( e . g . anttilum , jeffer & lehiste , etc . ) argue that the comparative method be inapplicable to syntactic reconstruction due to the fact that there be no analog in syntax to regular sound change . oversimplify a bite , word be compose of phoneme ; the comparative method assume that phonemic change in one word in a particular environment will be mirror by like change in other word in similar environment . but what be the syntactic analogue of word and phoneme ? and furthermore , syntactic change can be fairly catyclysmic , restructure grammar wholesale in one generation - - unlikely or impossible with phonological system . i would be interest in hear the opinion of other on the question of syntactic reconstruction on the basis of compare similarity and difference ; also , i wonder if there have be discussion in the literature that have lead to a change in opinion from what i take to be the standard position that the comparative method be inapplicable . fritz newmeyer fjn @ u . washington . edu