Conlang Geminates (was Re: the status of the glottal stop in Hebrew)

Yesterday I wrote:

> On 6 July, Outo Otus wrote:
>
> > Sorry to bother you again, but do modern Hebrew speakers pronounce the
> > germinate consonants?
>
>     (I'm assuming that you mean "geminate consonants".
> If not, please correct me.)
    At the time, for some reason, I expected the word geminate
to actually _be_ geminate with a double "m". When I checked
my dictionary, I was very disappointed to find only one "m" in the word!
I then checked my rtemmu dictionary, and lo and behold:
neither of the words for "the process of being two" are geminate!
(Base 10 and base 8 use different words in rtemmu.)
    This got me to wondering, do any of your conlangs
have geminate sounds for the words "two", "double", "couple"
or similar words?
    Do any of your conlangs have only one sound for the word
"one" (or one syllable, where multisyllablism is the rule)?
    I intend to remedy the situation in rtemmu:
the process of being two is (base 10) "wtikuh" and
(base 8) "tukuk".
   I will leave the numbers alone, but henceforth,
(trumpet fanfare, please  ;-)   )
The word for "the process of being a couple"
(in base 10) will be "wwtikuh" (imagine a long kiss ;-)  )
and (in base 8) "tukkuk".
    Exactly why a pairing, especially a human coupling,
should have any reference to a group of ten or a group
of eight, I'll leave to your fevered imaginations. ;-)
    Perhaps, in all seriousness, I need a special vocabulary
to cover this: "a single where two is normal" and
"two where two is normal". Maybe also a unitary term
for "one where single is the norm".
    (Ok. The process of being single where two is the norm
will be "vr`kuh"  (r` = [R]). The process of being two where
two is the norm will be "vr`r`kuh".
    The process of being singular, (base one?) will be
"  l~ "  sort of a voiced lateralized alveolar nasal.  ;-)    )

    Any analogues in your conlangs? (Or natlangs?)


Dan Sulani
--------------------------------------------------------

likehsna rtem zuv tikuhnuh auag inuvuz vaka'a.

A word is an awesome thing.
















the word for "the process of being a couple

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