Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: initial mutation or trigger? Re: re Mutations

From:B. Garcia <madyaas@...>
Date:Friday, October 15, 2004, 1:34
On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:13:05 +0200, Rodlox <rodlox@...> wrote:

> > an isolate either at the beginning of a sentance (common), or just before > the word...and the trigger can change the meaning of a sentance by simply > being one letter different.
Well no, a trigger/focus _indicates_ the part of the sentence which is the focus of it (sort of like what's emphazised, as we do in English when we pronounce something with a stronger intonation: _I_ hit him vs. I hit _HIM_). Triggers affixes do not necessarily change in form, at least in the Philippine languages Langoy - swimming lumangoy - neutral lumangoy - completed lalangoy - contemplated lumalangoy - incomplete As Philippine languages use aspect (neutral, incomplete, contemplated, completed), and not tense, I didn't say "swim, swam, swum". The only consonant changes that happen are for aspect, not for the trigger itself. The trigger affixes which do show change with their initial consonant are the ones beginning in m: mag- , ma-, mang-: Laba - wash maglaba - neutral naglaba - completed maglalaba - contemplated naglalaba - incomplete The other affixes show no such mutation, but this mutation isn't generated by proximity of other consonant or vowel sounds either. It's simply a device to indicate aspect. Even then for those affixes which do not show it, other ways are used: A very interesting trigger is the ipag- trigger. It shows infixing within _itself_ with the "in" affix! It is a benefactive trigger (the infixed affix within the ipag affix is in caps): luto - cook ipagluto - neutral ipINagluto - completed ipagluluto - contemplated ipINagluluto - incomplete Reduplication of the first syllable of the root is common for indicating aspect as well. -- You can turn away from me but there's nothing that'll keep me here you know And you'll never be the city guy Any more than I'll be hosting The Scooby Show Scooby Show - Belle and Sebastian