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Re: Biwa (was: YAC: ...) (slightly off-topic)

From:jesse stephen bangs <jaspax@...>
Date:Friday, November 17, 2000, 2:29
Nik Taylor sikayal:

> Mikael Johansson wrote: > > The number _three_ is > > extremely prevalent throughout their culture, as a practical joke from their > > creators; and thus they > > a) have three numeri, and > > b) distinguish triplets. > > > > Thus, singular/dual, trial and plural. > > Interesting explanation, but I would think that that would change, > perhaps people would change it to singular, dual/trial, and plural. Or > possibly singular, paucal [a few], and plural.
That's a typically humano-centric view. Since these people were given intelligence, it follows that their creators wouldn't have given them the sorts of "human" intuitions that lead to these generalizations. :-)
> > -- > Dievas dave dantis; Dievas duos duonos > God gave teeth; God will give bread - Lithuanian proverb > ICQ: 18656696 > AIM Screen-Name: NikTailor >
Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu "It is of the new things that men tire--of fashions and proposals and improvements and change. It is the old things that startle and intoxicate. It is the old things that are young." -G.K. Chesterton _The Napoleon of Notting Hill_