[chain chain chain...]

Danny Wier <dawier@...> wrote:

> I'm thinking of working out a multi-dimensional case system for Tech,
> which uses both prepositions and inflectional endings.  I have eight
> cases right now (these are cases which are simple and stand alone,
> without a preposition); they are the same eight cases of Sanskrit.  But=
> I want to be able to incorporate subcases of, say, the ablative
> (elative, delative, translative, etc.), but also indicate something lik=
e
> "to the edge of the city, then away" by linking the dative with the
> ablative and using one preposition marking an addesive/allative target
> location.
> =
> Four inflectional cases to indicate movement/stasis...
>   locative -- stationary position
>   dative -- approaching a point
>   ablative -- moving away from the point
>   instrumental -- moving through a point
> ... plus a preposition (which can cause mutation of the initial
> consonant of the antecedent) to mark whether the point of reference is
> inside, on the edge of, above, away from, etc. the referent.
> =
> Does this make any sense?
Sort of, but first you need to get your cases straight.  "Dative" should =
be
used to describe a case whose most salient use is for indirect objects. =

Instrumental should be used to describe a case whose most salient use is =
for
instruments.  Where you have "dative" you should probably use "allative" =
and
where you have "instrumental" you should probably have, er... "perlative"=
 I
guess.  UNLESS I have misunderstood and the cases you use here actually h=
ave
primary functions as true dative and instrumental and these movement func=
tions
are a secondary usage, in which case don't worry bout it!

But back to the topic... so you want to be able to specify *sequences* of=

motions which might fall under the purview of more than one case, and so =
want
to be able to use multiple cases for it?  Any reason other than cussed
perversity that you wouldn't just express these with a series of preposit=
ional
phrases/adverbs?

Ed


---------------------------------------------------------
Edward Heil .......................... edwardheil@usa.net
---------------------------------------------------------

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