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> Van: Christophe Grandsire <grandsir@...>
> Aan: Multiple recipients of list CONLANG <CONLANG@...>
> Onderwerp: A weird answer (was: a weird question...)
> Datum: donderdag 16 september 1999 9:15
>
> Danny Wier wrote:
> >
> > Hey, has this happened to anybody?
> >
> > I made up words for a theoretical conlang (just making up words at
random),
> > and came up with this once:
> >
> > I invented the word _kanzi_ for 'girl, young woman, maiden' -- and it
turns
> > out the word for 'unmarried woman' in Malayalam is _kan"n"i_ (n" =
alveolar
> > n). Also, I came up with the expletive _chort_ "bloody hell, etc.",
which
> > happens to be the Russian word for 'devil'. I also came up with _kane_
> > 'dog' (compare Italian _cane_), but I think I was influenced on that
one
> > somewheres...
> >
> > This is just a few instances of some conincidences. What would be a
good
> > word for this phenomenon?
> >
>
> Maybe an interference of the collective conscience of humanity
:), or a
> manifestation of a psychic power of yours :). No, "deja verb" is already
> a very good name for that phenomenon :). Are you sure you didn't know
> those words (except for 'cane') before ? Because in that case it would
> be simply an inconscious influence. If not, maybe you're psychic gifted
> :) .
>
> > Danny
> >
Or maybe it is just coincidence. A nice example of coincidence: the Basque
word 'elkar' means 'elkaar' in Dutch.