Re: fictional worlds (Wesley P.)

On Tue, 13 Aug 2002 05:17, Santiago wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Wesley Parish <wes.parish@...>
> To: <CONLANG@...>
> Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 7:46 AM
> Subject: Re: fictional worlds
>
> > The languages I am irresponsible for are the direct outcome of my
> > fiddling with the keyboard with the aim of trying to write something
> > readable,
>
> being
>
> > inspired by Tolkien, Leiber, Ballard, Peake, Dick, Ellison, Le Guin and
> > others.  (Rather unworthily - Praleyo's a saint, and Vheratsho's a bitch,
> > while Akhriech's a total can-do woman with an eye out for making sure
> > everything is _just so_.)  It can be a powerful reason to actually get
> > and
>
> do
>
> > it, making a language to fit into and be consistent with a culture you
>
> have
>
> > built up to write stories about.
> >
> > So, go for it.  If you still want to write after reading my tirade, that
>
> is!
>
> > ;^)
> >
> > Wesley Parish
>
> Would you explain to me those statements, please?
> Where are the pronouns are where the verbs?
Te Reo Maori - The Maori Language
>
> Mau e ki > You ask
Mau - second person singular, possessive pronoun, when used with verbs in the
first position in the sentence, has a general feeling of "You will", "You
may", or generalizing "You are"; ki (long vowel) - "to speak, say", with "e"
(short vowel) preposed it is present tense/current aspect.

> Maku e ki > I reply
Maku - first person singular, possessive pronoun, - as above; ki, e - as
above.

Polynesian languages have an interesting three-way split for possessive
pronouns - Taku/toku - my, mine, from Te - the; naku/noku - my, mine, I did,
have done, from me; maku/moku - my, mine, I may/will do, for me.

Ka ki ahau ki a koe - I have explained it to you.  Naku kete ka hoatu ahua
aku taonga ki a koe, ka kai koe.  From my basket I have spread my treasures,
and you have eaten your fill.

Wesley Parish
>
> Thank you for your advice :)
> Santiago
--
Mau e ki, "He aha te mea nui?"
You ask, "What is the most important thing?"
Maku e ki, "He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."
I reply, "It is people, it is people, it is people."

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