Re: confession: roots

On Tue, 8 May 2001 00:30:00 -0400 Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...> writes:
> Muke Tever wrote:
> > ['Born' as a verb isn't helpful either, because it hasn't got a
> useful passive.]
> But, what the child does would be a passive verb, and thus would not
> *need* a passive.  What's the passive of "die"?  :-)
> --
> Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon
> A nation without a language is a nation without a heart - Welsh
> proverb
> ICQ: 18656696
> AIM Screen-Name: NikTaylor42
-

The passive of "die" is "die in an obviously involuntary way."
At least in Rokbeigalmki.  :-)

simple/reflexive:  met = die
passive:  met-ad = die in an obviously involuntary way, by accident, etc.
causative:  damet = kill
causative-passive:  damet-ad = be killed

Of course the semantic ranges of the different forms can overlap a bit.


-Stephen (Steg)
 "Lympyyzh dy sangry?  Lympyyzh dy dt!"
     ~ unofficial national motto of "Mueva Sefarad"