> [mailto:CONLANG@listserv.brown.edu] On Behalf Of caeruleancentaur
> I notice a difference in connotation in these two expressions.
"A few
> people attended the meeting," means simply that there was a small
> number in attendance. "Few people attended the meeting" connotes
a
> certain disappointment: "There were not as many people in
> attendance as we had expected."
>
> How do you handle this in your conlangs, especially if your
> conlang has no indefinite article.
In Sasxsek:
men = a quantity more than one (used as a plural marker)
-im = (diminutive marker)
him = to lack; deficit
buk = expect; predict; prophesy
menim = a few; a small plural number
menis = many; a large plural number
menimi ren = a few people / a small number of people
himi ren = less people
bukiri himi ren = expectedly less people