Animacy of groups of people (was Re: Very culture-specific noun classes...)
| From: | Jörg Rhiemeier <joerg_rhiemeier@...> |
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| Date: | Monday, October 17, 2005, 19:58 |
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Hallo!
taliesin the storyteller wrote:
> * Jörg Rhiemeier said on 2005-10-16 16:47:27 +0200
>
> [...]
>
> > I find it a bit odd to classify groups of people as inanimate.
> > In Old Albic (my conlang), they are animate.
>
> Imagine a mob of football (soccer) fans after their team have won or
> lost an important match... Force of nature, I say.
First, forces of nature are *animate* in Old Albic (as they are in
many natlangs with an animate/inanimate distinction). Second, not
all groups of people are mobs. Surely, states, city councils,
business enterprises, guilds etc. are capable of deliberate,
volitional action.
Greetings,
Jörg.
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