All-noun langs, was: Syntaxy-Turvy

On Wed, 28 Jun 2000 18:58:40 +0200, BP Jonsson <bpj@...> wrote:

<...>
> IMHO the only "weird syntax" likely to exist is one where all full
>words are formally verbs, but then whatever you do to make them function
as
>entity-lables will make them nouns in a functional sense.  The same
applies
>of course to all-nouns, but as I said I feel an all-noun natlang unlikely.
If you don't mind me considering langs with 'zero copula' as having
no copula at all, I think there are natlangs approaching very close to
the 'all-noun' condition (e. g. some Semitic dialects).

If you have adjectives (including participles) not clearly opposed to
substantives, and use 'participles' as predicates without a copula,
why isn't this an all-noun?

Besides, I see several very different possibilities depending on what
is the meaning of the 'implied' copula.

I think some of these variants would be possible even with 'zero
morphology'.


Basilius