Re: Irregularity in human languages (was Re: irregular conlangs)

John Cowan wrote:

> "Dive" along with "shit" and "twig" (comprehend) are oddball in that
> they have recently become strong, probably because of analogies.
Well, "dive", yes, but I think that's been around (in North America,
at any rate) for a while now.  "Shit", on the other hand, I practically
never hear as a verb -- as an expletive or a noun, certainly, but
normally some other verb has to be supplied in its stead.

And what's the new strong form of "twig"? (And how often do people
this side of the Atlantic use the word in the first place?)

> So the strong conjugation is not *utterly* non-productive,
> just *mostly* non-productive.  Children do say "goed", but also
> "brang" for the preterite of "bring".
Not always children.  Mr. Clinton has been known to use the
form here and there, in addition to a strong participle, "brung".
(In his offcamera moments, of course.)

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Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
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"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."

Denn wo Begriffe fehlen,
Da stellt ein Wort zur rechten Zeit sich ein.
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