Re: My latest language: Yracnaji

On Tue, 5 Feb 2002 16:53:05 -0000
Joe Hill <joe@...> wrote:

> > > Nehon    uuryjo              tanoni
> > > kill.IND   3s.ERG.DEA   kill.PST.AO.RFL
> There are two verbs in each sentence, which cannot function without each
> other.  Ehon-tan are the verbs "to kill"  The first takes the mood, the
> second takes the Tense, Aspect, and defines whether or not the verb is
Snap! I have something similar - Evolving from a semitic-like
triconsonental root, verbs typically developed a strong stress on the
second or third syllable (wordshape CvCvC or CvCvCv) causing the first
to become dissassociated (sometimes it was the last syl that came off
though, for various reasons). So for example, [q][k_h][p_h] gives the
archaic verb [qok_hAp_hA] which after soundchanges and splitting (and
orthography...) gives the verb (kau)gháv [q.au GA:v]. I call the part
in brackets the 'atavistic prefix', and it occurs in past-tense form
(causing <úhaushgéd> "removal of obstruction" aka seimhiú or (sometimes)
aspiration) of the main verb) giving e.g. <kau háva> aorist past. (The
verbs means "reach through great achievement or effort", BTW)

The fun part is how these atavisms gain a bit of semantics, and you
begin to associate them with particular verbs. Naturally you should,
since they (from etymology) partake of the meaning as much as the main
verb. I have a feeling that they might evolve into a restricted set
of e.g. 10 forms to be used with different semantic classes of verbs,
replacing some of those endless agglutinations at the end of main verbs.

The atavisms can also be used to stand for their verb in certain
compound words, or to form paralled forms with somewhat different
meanings, or (non-derivationally) to be used in certain other
constructs, such as 'aúr+<úhaushgéd+atavism>' to emphasise the action
of the verb - so in the Babel text "let us burn them thoroughly"
has no word for "thoroughly" but rather says "ituíchènardhmej ...
aúr-húth" where the first word means "let us burn them" and the verb is
'(úth)tóch' meaning "burn".

As usual, explaining this stuff maks me think of new ideas, or solidify
old ones... must go and scribble them down.

Stephen