Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>The theory that Proto-Indo-European knew a “h₂e-conjugation” with an *o/e-ablauting acrostatic paradigm (Jasanoff 1979; Jasanoff 2003) relies heavily on the existence of Hittite ā/e-ablauting ḫi-verbs. In Kloekhorst 2012a I have argued that none of these ā/e-ablauting verbs can be original. In a reaction to this article, Melchert (2013) raises objections to a number of my arguments and concludes that some of the ā/e-ablauting verbs must be original and that therefore the Hittite material does support the “h₂e-conjugation” theory. In the following article I will discuss in detail all points on which Melchert and I disagree, and argue that his objections do not hold, and that the Hittite ā/e-ablauting ḫi-verbs cannot be used as evidence in favor of the “h₂e-conjugation” theory.</jats:p>