Re: semantics question

Rob Haden sikyal:

> OK, I've been slowly trying to create more verbs for Pre-OurTongue.  For
> those who don't know, the idea is this:
>
> 1. Proto-Language monosyllables combine in twos and threes to make new
> verbal compounds.
>
> 2. Stress-accent differentiates monetariness (iambic accentuation) and
> durativity (trochaic accentuation) (Ryan 2000).
>
> 3. Sound-changes and semantic shifts transform momentary and durative
> inflections of the same root into separate roots.
Sounds great! Quite natural, and an attractive way to get a historically
structured, diverse conlang from relatively few roots.

> Here's one example of the above that I'm having some trouble with:
>
> PL xa-mho "press-together+wander"
> > xámo "get ready and go > set out(durative)," xamó "get ready and go > set
> out (momentary)"
>
> The durative form would later become kaum, and the momentary form would
> become kamó.  I have tentatively given the meaning "travel" to the former,
> and "go (out), embark" to the latter.  Do these seem realistic?  Or are
> there better alternatives?  Basically I'm having trouble with extrapolating
> further semantic shifts from earlier momentary and durative varieties of
> the same verbal idea.
These seem perfectly natural to me. I rather like them.


Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/blog

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