Originally Posted By: BranShea
 Originally Posted By: twosleepy
In order to answer the plausibility question, more information is needed. For example, how prevalent are these phonemes in other languages? Basing such a universal theory on one language only (English) is a bit shaky.


The Jack-thing I think is typically English. We do have a Hannes (from Johannes), " Stomme Hannes"; it means a simpleton ; it also gave the word 'gehannes'(noun) meaning "clumsy dealings".

For the English Jack I remember that Jack and Jill went up the hill, but I don't know if they ever came down again.

Yes, Jack fell down (and broke his crown), and Jill came tumbling after... Crown here means head and not the thing a monarch might wear.