Re: Voicing and Plurality

Jake X sikyal:

> First of all, here is the system of affixed pronouns:
>
> . . . . Sing. . . . Plural
> First. . to. . . . . do
> Second. .so. . . . . sho*
> Third. . ko. . . . . .go
>
> *I used -sho- for you pl. because zo is to easy to confuse with so.
How is s/z any more confusable than k/g or t/d?

> As you can see, the pl. pronoun particles are voiced versions (except sho)
> of their singular counterparts. I've been thinking of extending that to form
> plural nouns (which until then were only indicated by the plurality of the
> verb). Does anyone know of any other langs with this feature (voiced
> plurality)?
I have a hazily-recollected thought that Ancient Chinese had such a
feature--or some other grammatical feature indicated by voicing the
initial consonant.

In any case, it's not unnatural, and if it doesn't occur it's just because
of small sample size. Go for it!



Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/

"If you look at a thing nine hundred and ninety-nine times, you are
perfectly safe; if you look at it the thousandth time, you are in
frightful danger of seeing it for the first time."
--G.K. Chesterton

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