Re: Languages without verbs

On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 9:48 AM, Gary Shannon <fiziwig@...> wrote:
> --- On Thu, 11/13/08, Fredrik Ekman <ekman@...> wrote:
>> One of them has decided that he wants to make a language
>> with no verbs. He
>> intends to use suffixes on subjects together with adverbs
>> for the
>> functions that verbs normally serve in a language.
>>
>> I suppose that verbless (sort of) conlangs have been
>> attempted before, and
>> I would like to hear some ideas of potential weaknesses and
>> difficulties
>> with such an approach.
>>
>>   Fredrik
>
> I've never made such a language, but it seems like you could approximately
> specify an action by putting preposition-like suffixes on all the nouns:
>
> "Book John-from Mary-to." It doesn't specify whether John gave the book to Mary or
> if Mary just took it, but maybe that's no so important in the culture under
> discussion. Or perhaps it could be implied by an adjective showing someone's
> emotional state during or after the event: "Book John-from Mary-to.
> John-happy." clearly tells us of a different event that "Book John-from
> Mary-to. John-angry."
>
> --gary
>
Actually, Kelen does just that.
semme [book] mo Mary ke John
means that the book passed from John to Mary & John was okay with that.
semme [book] mo Mary to John
would mean the same but with John not okay, or not aware of that.
(ke vs to is the difference between a animate/volitional source and a
non-animate or non-volitional source)

There's no indication of who initiated the transaction or whether the
book was a gift or an item sold or what.
That could be specified by adding a second noun (or adjective, or
substantive) modifying book, such as:

semme [book] [gift] mo Mary ke John
would be the closest equivalent of
John gave the book to Mary.
--
Sylvia Sotomayor
terjemar@gmail.com
www.terjemar.net