Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Ergativity Reference Done

From:David Peterson <thatbluecat@...>
Date:Monday, November 22, 2004, 9:30
Hi all,

I'm now "finished" with my section on ergativity.   The result is
here:

http://dedalvs.free.fr/notes.html#ergativity

I say "finished", because my hope is to update it based on people's
comments.   So, like I said, if you have a language that's ergative and
has an explanation online, I'd like to link to it.   Also, if you find any
errors, I want to make sure I correct them.

One neat thing is that I named the third possible pattern.   What I
mean is that in a nominative-accusative pattern, S and A are
grouped together to the exclusion of P, and in an ergative-absolutive
pattern, S and P are grouped together to the exclusion of A.   There
is a third possible (though unattested) pattern where A and P are
grouped together to the exclusion of S.   I named this the duative-unitive
pattern, where A and P receive duative case, and S receives unitive
case.   I thought it was neat idea.   But, a couple questions remain: (1)
Did I get the names right (i.e., did I use the Latin roots correctly)?; and
(2) has someone somewhere already named these cases and this
pattern?

Anyway, thanks to those who've already given me comments, and
to those who will.   Hope all's well.

-David
*******************************************************************
"sunly eleSkarez ygralleryf ydZZixelje je ox2mejze."
"No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn."

-Jim Morrison

http://dedalvs.free.fr/

Replies

Andreas Johansson <andjo@...>
Rodlox <rodlox@...>question - Turco-Japanese (a thought experiment for the group here)