Re: verbs of eating

In a message dated 2/7/04 7:34:25 AM Pacific Standard Time, hmiller@IO.COM
writes:

<< Interesting. I have the idea that some of the languages of the people
 formerly known as "elves" (Nelya, Miri, etc.) use the same words to
 describe analogous features of plants and animals. The most obvious
 example is that there's a single word for both "seed" and "egg". But the
 same idea could be extended to aspects of physiology; certainly, plants
 "breathe" (take in essential gases from the air), so it makes sense to
 use the word "eat" for the process of absorbing nutrients. >>

This "elvish" thought-pattern can be seen in Tom Bombabdil's orders to Old
Man Willow
in LOTR (Felowship of the Ring: The Old Forest): "Eat earth! Dig deep! Drink
water! Go to sleep!"
In Rihana-ye this would be: "Na go-bi!    Nu *namejo-bi!     Ma mo-bi!
    Yo-bi!"
                                  Earth eat-must! Deeply dig-must!  Water
drink-must! Sleep-must!
As I said before, the Rihana-ye folk do not usually talk to (or about) trees
eating, but I presume they would use the normal verb "go."

John Leland