Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: Causative/Benefactive Interaction

From:Lars Finsen <lars.finsen@...>
Date:Saturday, December 15, 2007, 10:23
Den 12. des. 2007 kl. 22.16 skreiv Eldin Raigmore:

> Is there a semantic difference between: > > "(Abe made Bob do something) for Charlie" > > and > > "Abe made (Bob do something for Charlie)."
This is a little interesting in Suraetu, because it can be expressed either with the causative and compoundable verb 'irasin' - make do, or with a clausal construction with a causal auxiliary: I: Abeke Bob Charlieme dedairasin ja. (Abe-erg Bob[-abs] something- make-do Charlie-ben he-did-him) or II: Abeke jara Bob Charlieme dedaisin jula. (Abe-erg he-caused-it Bob [-abs] Charlie-ben something-do he-does-subj) In the last statement, only the second meaning is possible, while the first one could be interpreted either way. But I think by switching the participants about you can emphasise either the one or the other. Thus: (III) "Abeke Charlieme Bob dedairasin ja" would be more distinctly equivalent to the first statement. LEF

Reply

ROGER MILLS <rfmilly@...>