Re: THEORY: questions

aniye Muke:

> >> Hmm, I don't remember seeing that there.  (At least, on the list of
> >> universals[1].. is the list of universals different from the list of
> >> primitives?)
> >
> >They don't list AND!! Is it not a universal? I mean, languages can lack the
> >word itself, but I don't think they can lack the idea of association.
>
> My understanding is that it's a list of *lexical* universals.
> Offhand, I could imagine its not being listed meaning either of two bits:
>
>     - some language doesn't mark "and" with a morpheme at all, e.g.
>         "It's raining cats, dogs, schoolbuses"
>
>     - some language uses a word for "and" that has a different primary
> meaning:
>         "It's raining cats with dogs with schoolbuses"
>

Silindion uses two ways to translate "and". One of which is essentially the same as the
second example.

"It's raining cats and dogs" (something you couldnt really say in Silindion, but
I'll translate it anyway)

*Masser* sinkein koimma.
/ma'sEr sIN`ken kojmma/

where the -mma is the comitative case ending, meaning "with" but in this case it
used to link two nouns. Here, it means 'and'.

(note: I starred 'masser' because I'm not sure if that would be the 3rd singular
present form of 'massenyello' or if it would be 'massener', I'll have to check
that out)

Now, if the word 'and' links two clauses, then Silindion uses the conjunction 'ne'

nossanne ono i ssurnin ne i urisvi matie i nerma ya nolosseavi.

/no`sa:nne `o:no i sur`ni:n NE i u`ri:svi `ma:tie i `nE:rma ja no`loseavi/

"It snowed through the night and in the morning the house was hidden under the snow"

Here, the two clauses are linked with 'ne'

Elliott

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