Re: Effect on number agreement when new numbers arise

Pete wrote:

<< Khanga〓yagon verbs are marked for number of the subject (singular/plural).
The plural form is marked with a suffix in the last position, both for
nouns and for verbs. Wagoragon, as I have previously mentioned, has
developed a third number, the multiple, used when the quantity of things
referred to is, at least in principle, known. This is formed by
reduplication. It occurs to me that a new form of the verb should arise to
agree with subjects in the multiple. Any ideas what form it should take?>>

I don't think I understand the number.   So, when the number (greater than
one, I presume?) is known (that is, there are lots of blades of grass 
outside,
but I know that there are exactly three blades of grass inside, because I 
brought
that many in), then you reduplicate the NP?   Why, just out of curiosity?

Anyway, if reduplication didn't exist as a normal pluralization process
before, I'd predict one of two things:

(1) The verb is marked as singular, because a plural marker hasn't been
attached to the noun;

(2) The verb is marked as plural, because there are more than one of
whatever's being discussed.

I can't see a third type of marking arising unless you also, say, 
reduplicated
the verb.

-David
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"sunly eleSkarez ygralleryf ydZZixelje je ox2mejze."
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