>From: "Dr. David E. Bell" <dbell@...>
> > From: J. Barefoot
> >
> > Nouns
> >
> > nominal stems
> > final vowel > 0
> > final l > r
> > final k > h
> > final t > s
> > final n > no change
> > greater than 3 syllbles, drop final syllable
>
>I'm not sure that I follow this? This seems to be some kind of table of
>mutations, but in what environments do they occur?
Formation of oblique nominal stems. The nominative singular form changes
slightly before taking endings.
ex. amat > amas-
taek > taeh-
puya > puy-
pe'ul > pe'ur-
kawayat > kaway-
uyaan > uyaan-
>
> > cases
> >
> > sing. plural
> >
> > nom. ---- -i
> > acc. -an -in
> > relative -ua -i
> > (gen/erg)
> > dat. -eta -eti
> > part. -ia -i
> > loc. -aa -ali
>
>What is the "relative" case used for? I foresee some kind of mixed
>ergative
>system here since you have nom/acc and erg, but no absolutive, curious! It
>is also unusual to see the ergative unmarked.
>
> > One of the few sentences in this language thus far:
> > ani al puyan musinaan ni'i al tisuuyaa
> > I.rel the woman-acc see.durative-past at the doorway-loc
> > I used to see the woman in the doorway.
>
>Curious! Why is the A-function argument in relative case? I would have
>expected nominative or ergative.
>
Again, relative is ergative, but it's genitive too.
>
>David
It's nice to get questions.
Jennifer
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