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Re: Strange voices

From:Stone Gordonssen <stonegordonssen@...>
Date:Tuesday, April 22, 2003, 1:51
>1. subject-P verb complement-OBL >Example: cat-P sleeps on mat-OBL -> mat-P on-sleeps-* cat-OBL >"The mat on-it-sleeps a cat". > >Example: dog-A bites cat-P -> dog-P OBJECT_APPLIC-bites-* [cat-OBL] >In my mind it looks as if the focus is shifted from the argument(s) >to the verbal action itself: "The dog is the one who bites [the cat]." > >Does this make any sense? If so, any ideas for the name of this beast? > >Terbian also has a mediopassive and a generic applicative voice that >transforms an oblique argument into a patient ("he swims under the boat" >-> "he underswims the boat").
I don't know what to call these, but the verb forms (on-it-sleeps, one-who-bites, under-swims) remind me of Tsalagi (i.e. Cherokee). "The mat on-it-sleeps a cat" would make perfect sense to a speaker of Hixkaryana (sp?) which is an OVS natlang. (Drat! I've already packed that book.) _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

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Christophe Grandsire <christophe.grandsire@...>