Re: Case question

On Wed, Nov 26, 2003 at 01:35:09PM -0500, John Cowan wrote:
> Mark J. Reed scripsit:
> > Okay, I'm familiar with the [Monster Raving Loony] party, but what
> > does the term refer to linguistically?
>
> Two-case systems such that one case is used for S and the other for A and P.
That seems really, really . . . wrong.  What natlangs do that??

> Split-ergative systems are ergative sometimes and accusative sometimes; for
> example, they may be ergative for pronoun subjects and accusative for
> noun subjects, or accusative in the imperfect aspect and ergative in the
> perfect aspect, or vice versa.  Most, if not all, ergative systems are
> split-ergative.
Ah, I didn't know that.  Thanks!

-Mark

> Dievas dave dantis; Dievas duos duonos          --Lithuanian proverb
> Deus dedit dentes; deus dabit panem             --Latin version thereof
Seems like we need a D-word to substitute for "panem" there.
How about "dapem"?  It means "meal, feast, banquet".

-Mark

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