Re: Strange voices

I'm not sure, but I think they do something of the sort - the book I was using
"Teach Yourself Gaelic" mentions the use of the "inessive" pronoun, if I may
call it that, together with the use of the verbal noun, as expressing
continuous action and trade, profession, state of being, etc.

Tha thu 'nad chabhaig - You are in a hurry.  (You are in your hurry)
Tha mi 'nam sheasamh aig an dorus - I am in my standing at the door.

As far as making the subject A to P, I think it doesn't do that, instead
making it medio-passive.

Of course, the verbal noun takes the genitive as its object:

Tha Calum a' bualadh an doruis - Calum is at the striking of the door.

That may or may not be relevant.

I think Gaelic does fulfill some of points asked for, but obviously doesn't
fulfill others.

Wesley Parish

On Wednesday 23 April 2003 11:07 pm, you wrote:
> Wesley Parish i bin rait:
> > Gaelic treats many common verbs as adjectives:
> > Bha Calum agus Maire ag obair
> > Calum and Mary were working (literally: at work/ing)
>
> Yes, but do they have a special voice that makes
> a transitive verb intransitive, plus makes that
> verb stative and changes the marking of the subject
> from A to P? :)
>
> Daniel Andreasson
--
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."