5 1470 open letter _ language _ many readers linguist language open letter indicates interested methodological issues come efforts establish distant linguistic relationships like nostratic although true language published review illich svitych books scholar agreed review yet submitted promised review research tradition reviewed journal see bernard comrie review starostin book altaic japanese language 69 828832 1993 methodological issues involved altaic japanese case issues involved nostratic case puzzled openletter signers apparent belief russian approach issues received attention language sarah thomason editor language