Re: New Language: Zhyler (Noun Classes)

Chris Wright wrote:
>(I don't really know a lot about noun classes, but I can make some
>hypotheses.) The thing to remember is that everything came from
>somewhere, so find what derivations on a common theme would happen to put
>somewhat diverse things in the same noun class
OTOH it can be completely arbitrary.  One of the classes of Swahili is ki-,
pl. vi- ('knife' is one member of this class, IIRC it applies generally to
long things).  The borrowed word for a traffic-circle (roundabout) is said
to be /kiplefti/, plural /viplefti/.  I don't know if East Africa still
drives on the left, however.......:-)

>There is a reason for most things in linguistics.
Lesson one:  Oh, no, there isnt!!  :-(  or  :-)