Re: [Conlangs-Conf] Conference Overview

Pete wrote:
<<
*[fISs] assimilates to *[fISS], but gemmination is not phonemic in
English, therefore [fIS].
 >>

Plus a diacritic to keep it from attaching to the verb "fish".  I don't
think I'd accept, "He fish everyday" as standard (that is, it'd be just
as okay as "He wish everyday".  No matter the grammar, though,
"He wish" and "He fish" will be identical [either they both have the
/-s/ (as [-@z]), or neither do]).

<<
Alternatively, the problem can be dealt with by epenthesis and
dissimilation, thus giving [fISIz] "fishes", which is more regular
but less common.
 >>

Not to spark a YAEPT, but it seems to me (just a vague impression)
that "fishes" for the plural of "fish" is making a comeback with
younger people (12 and below).  Perhaps "fish" as a plural will
disappear in the future...  Though I imagine it'd stick around as
a mass noun (e.g., "I'm eating fish").

-David
*******************************************************************
"A male love inevivi i'ala'i oku i ue pokulu'ume o heki a."
"No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn."

-Jim Morrison

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