Re: "Colorless Green" (was Re: Lahabic Syntax)

Estelachan@AOL.COM wrote:
> syllabries are wonderful. I took a year of Japanese and fell in love with
> them, although the one I'm using is a regular syllabry like that of Hebrew or
> Sanskrit instead of having seperate ones for each CV combination.
Those aren't syllabries.  The one Hebrew has is called an abjad, or
consonantal script.  Sanskrit uses a devangeri.  A syllabry actually
marks syllables, like Japanese.

> "had"? is it gone?
> still, I like it. I'll have to translate that one too.
The page is there, but it hasn't been updated in a few years.

> what language is this?
The language is called Utakassí

> >  Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
> >  Zazánva piziaziulán uafiaanísi uadiáskun fil ku uafmaisiásai.
> >  Zazá -n     -va  pi-ziaziulá-n  uaf- iaaní-i  ua-diásku-n   fil ku
> >  Sleep-3PlIrr-Hab G7-anger  -COM G6PL-idea -PL G6-color -COM not and
> >  uaf- maisiása-i
> >  G6pl-green   -PL
> my goodness.....what does all that mean?
That's just a morphemic breakdown.  3PlIrr = 3rd person plural
irrational (referring to an entity that cannot speak; i.e., an infant or
animal or inanimate object)
Hab = Habitual
G6 = Gender 6
G7 = Gender 7
COM = Commitative (a case meaning, usually, "with", in this context
"adverb")
PL = Plural

> I'd greatly appreciate it-- I'm not putting up any of the detail, so much,
> just the translation.... these look like two forms of the same language; if
> you could explain what each form is that'd be great.
The first form, the second form isn't settled yet.

> what about a verb for "swallow"? the chewing doesn't seem to be quite the
> point of this sentence.
Swallow is kinda inherent in "chew".  "Chew" is used for kinds of eating
that aren't láu or kaftí.  For example, someone taking medicine would
probably be _fatát_.  Same with committing suicide by ingesting
poisonous substances.

--
Dievas dave dantis; Dievas duos duonos
God gave teeth; God will give bread - Lithuanian proverb
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