Pre-Greek substrate

The Pre-Greek substrate (or Pre-Greek substratum) consists of the unknown pre-Indo-European language(s) spoken in prehistoric Greece before the advent of the Proto-Greek language in the Greek peninsula during the Bronze Age. It is possible that Greek acquired approximately 1,000 words from such a language or group of languages, because some of its vocabulary cannot be satisfactorily explained as deriving from Proto-Greek and a Proto-Indo-European reconstruction is almost certainly impossible for such terms.^[1]^[2]

^ Duhoux 2007a, pp. 220–222.
^ Beekes 2014, pp. 47–48: "Our knowledge of Indo-European has expanded so much, especially in the last thirty years (notably because of the laryngeal theory) that in some cases we can say almost with certainty that an Indo-European reconstruction is impossible. [...] In my EDG, I marked with >PG< all words which, in my view, were of Pre-Greek origin. I found 1106 words.".

[FOOTNOTEDuhoux2007a220–222-1] Duhoux 2007a, pp. 220–222.

[FOOTNOTEBeekes201447–48:_"Our_knowledge_of_Indo-European_has_expanded_so_much,_especially_in_the_last_thirty_years_(notably_because_of_the_laryngeal_theory)_that_in_some_cases_we_can_say_almost_with_certainty_that_an_Indo-European_reconstruction_is_impossible._[...]_In_my_EDG,_I_marked_with_>PG<_all_words_which,_in_my_view,_were_of_Pre-Greek_origin._I_found_1106_words."-2] Beekes 2014, pp. 47–48: "Our knowledge of Indo-European has expanded so much, especially in the last thirty years (notably because of the laryngeal theory) that in some cases we can say almost with certainty that an Indo-European reconstruction is impossible. [...] In my EDG, I marked with >PG< all words which, in my view, were of Pre-Greek origin. I found 1106 words.".

[1]

[2]