Re: Castillian Greek was Re: Slovanik, Enamyn, and Slavic slaves

On 2 Aug 02, at 16:14, John Cowan wrote:

> JS Bangs scripsit:
>
> > To do this properly, I'd need to decide on several more basic
> > questions before I even start translating, like the number of genders and
> > tenses,
>
> Two genders, I think.  As for tenses, I don't know enough ModG to be sure.
Modern Greek has three genders and four cases (though the vocative is
marginal, since it only differs from the nominative in masucline nouns
in -os.)

Plain tenses are present (líno |lunw|), imperfect (élina |eluna|), and
aorist (élisa |elusa|).

Those formed with particles are continuous future (tha líno |8a lunw|),
simple future (tha líso |8a lusw|), present subjunctive (na/ótan/...
líno |lunw|), and aorist subjunctive (na/ótan/... líso |lusw|).

Compound tenses are perfect (ékho lísi |exw lusei|) and pluperfect
(íkha lísi |eixa lusei|), and with particles future perfect (tha ékho
lísi |8a exw lusei|) and perfect subjunctive (na/ótan/... ékho lísi
|exw lusei|).

Then there are also two imperatives (which my ModG verb book calls
"present" and "aorist", presumably from the stems from which they are
formed -- I think they're roughly habitual/durative/continuous and one-
time, respectively): líne/línete |lune lunete| vs líse/líste |luse
luste|, and two participles -- present (línondas |lunontas|) and
perfect (ékhondas lísi |exontas lusei|).

And then all of the about in the passive, except for the present
participle and the 2.sg present imperative, which are uncommon (but
which, as with other forms such as aorist participles, can be formed
along Ancient Greek lines if you really feel the need, or if you're
using that kind of register).

Note the absence of the infinitive; verbs are entered in the dictionary
by first person singular present indicative, e.g. "líno |lunw| = I
untie". Sequences of verbs such as "I want to sing" are formed with the
subjunctive (either present or aorist depending on the meaning), as "I
want that I sing" (8elw na tragoud(hs)w).

Cheers,
Philip
--
Philip Newton <Philip.Newton@...>

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