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Re: 2 Re Word order (Was: Conlangs of mischief

From:David Peterson <thatbluecat@...>
Date:Friday, September 24, 2004, 18:39
Rodlox wrote:

<<>Nevertheless, I'd like to see more explanation for how compound words
are formed, for example. I think part of the reason it looks so odd is
because there's little or no description of how this process actually
works
at-   =  To go; a year
au-   =  To perceive
attau =  to perceive {understand} a year {calendrical signifigance}>>

This still doesn't make any sense to me, I'm afraid.   First of all, if you 
have
one word, and one definition is "to go", and the other definition is "a 
year",
then what you have is two different words that have the same sound, like
"bank (of a river)" and "bank (that you keep your money in)".   As such, they
should be listed separately.

Next, "to understand a year" doesn't mean anything.   I just don't understand
what this concept is supposed to imply.   Could you further elaborate on
what it means to understand a year, and why such a word would ever be
used by a human?   Is it a verb meant to be used when you first understand
that a year is made up of months/seasons, or something?   Is it when two
people are having a discussion, such as, "Hey, you remember in 1987 when
we were six?", "No, I don't.", "Don't you remember?   Def Leppard's Hysteria
came out then, our teach was Mrs. Hudson..."   "Oh!   Attau!"   (I.e., now 
the
other interlocutor understands the year being discussed.)

This was part of the problem.   The compound you list above appears to be
rather straightforward (verb + direct object = verb with understood direct
object), but the result doesn't make much sense.   I had that problem a lot
with Metes.

And, of course, the 1 sentence = 1 word thing wasn't all that easy to wrap
one's head around, as well.    ;)

-David
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Muke Tever <hotblack@...>