Re: OSV Italian Particles

From: "Matt Pearson"

> I wouldn't say that there are "lots of languages" which are N-Adj and OV.
> Basque is the only one I can think of.
Ah, but then you've forgotten Géarthnuns. :)

> Of course, when it comes to noun modification, there's the added
> complication that in some languages (most) adjectives are basically
> verb-like, and adjectival modification shares properties with
> (reduced) relative clauses, while in other languages (most) adjectives
> are basically noun-like, and adjectival modification shares properties
> with compounding.  I wonder if the distribution of Adj-N vs. N-Adj
> order would be more consistent if that fact were taken into account...
This is a highly inconsistent feature of Géarthnuns. Adjectives are
basically noun-like and follow the nouns they modify (and agree in
declension, number, and case), but noun-compounding is done similar to the
Germanic languages.

sü marangíks nevalek
a building gray

but

sü gefrölímarangíks
a book-building = a library  (gefröls - book)

Only double compounds are permitted, however, so German-style quintuple
compounds do not occur. Géarthnuns, like English on occasion, breaks it up
with a genitive (which follows the noun) or some such.

Kou