Re: Nouns, they hate me!

Mia:
<<
I think _veci_ ("brick") > vecin ("bricks") > vecinam ("bricks-acc.") is
just hideous. I tried simply stripping out the case endings, but that
really wasn't a satisfying solution either. I am not happy with -n for
plurals either (though I am pleased with -l for the dual number), as it
seems a little typical and not particularly aesthetically pleasing.

Grah! Suggestions? (Not that I'll take them, but feel free to make
them.)
 >>

Well, I noticed that you have a proverb that carries tense for
the verbs.  Why not something similar for the nouns?  Let's
see what we have here:

veci = brick
jen = person
osal = stone
ianash = mud
yedra = mortar (or yedr)
-at = dative
-am = accusative
-n = plural

Things that can go in front of nouns:

-Prepositions (e.g., /i/)
-Conjunctions (e.g., /wa/)
-Possessive pronouns (?)
-Mystery grab bag

You might do something like this:

wa veci = "and (a) brick"
wan veci = "and bricks"
wam veci = "and (a) brick (acc.)"
wanam/wam veci = "and bricks (acc.)" (i.e., /-m/ is used in both sg.
and plu.)

i jen = "to (the/a) person" (no case marker because of initial C)
it eya jen "to his person" (made-up 3rd possessive pron, V-initial)
it osal = "to the stone"
int osal = "to the stones"
in jen = "to the people" (/n/ goes fine before "j"; not /t/)

eya jen = "his person"
eyan jen = "his people"
eyat jen = "to his person" (the preposition's kind of a semi-word, so
it can't take /t/; this one can)
eyant jen = "to his people" (or just /eyan/ before C-initial words)
eyant osal = "to his stones"
eyam jen = "his person/people (acc.)" (same form)

But what about if there are no prepositions, poss. pronouns or
conjunctions?

an osal = "rocks"
ant osal = "to the rocks"
at osal = "to the rock"
am osal = "rock(s) (acc.)"

/a/, of course, means nothing: just a place-holder.  (Not to say
that it can't acquire a meaning over time.)

-David
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"sunly eleSkarez ygralleryf ydZZixelje je ox2mejze."
"No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn."

-Jim Morrison

http://dedalvs.free.fr/

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