Re: ODD VERB FORM (WAS: Llirine: introduction and phonology)

From: "Elliott Lash" <AL260@...>
> > > "I saw a daemon stare into my face, and an angel touch my breast; each
> > > one softly calls my name . . . the daemon scares me less."
> > > - "Disciple", Stuart Davis
> My mail got sent before I wanted it to. This is what I wanted to say:
>
> What is this  "stare"  and "touch" here....subjunctive? It makes sence
> to me, and this is how i'd say it, but I never really thought about it.
In another language I think it'd be a participle.

In English, most series of verbs (such as "I saw X verb") only conjugate for
person in the first verb (although you might still say "I saw X verbing" or "I
saw X verbed").

Some don't, but they're constructions like "I think X-NOM verbs" instead of "I
saw X-ACC verb"--maybe that has something to do with it, that the accusative
can't govern a verb?   A subjunctive construction is sort of the neutralization
of that: "I demanded X-NOM verb".


ObConlang:  Let's see how it works in other langs!

I think in Henaudute you'd have a construction like this:

    "I saw him touch me"
    Khanumne    rheu,  ha  nirundre     neu
    see.Past.1s 3s.obl rel touch.rel.3s 1s.obl

where the verb would have to disconnect into a separate phrase.

        *Muke!

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