Dans un courrier dat=E9 du 15/09/99 11:41:30 , Rob a =E9crit :
> I have a question regarding this subject. It is about two Lillooet (or
> Lil'wat?) sentences:
> - tl'ak ti-nk'yap-a 'the coyote goes'
japanese :
koyotsu wa iku : 'the coyote goes'
> - nk'yap ti-tl'ak-a 'the goer coyotes', 'he who goes=20
is=20
> a coyote'
japanese :
iku (no) wa koyotsu da : 'he who goes is a coyote'
> tl'ak =3D coyote
> nk'yap =3D go
> ti- =3D realis
> -a =3D 3rd person
> =20
koyotsu : coyote
iku : go
wa : topic
da : be =3D whatever person
> When translating, I have to do strange things. I use the word 'goer' and =
a
> verb 'to coyote'.
funny that : i do that with japanese and colloquial french too when i=20
topicalize.
you know what ? the whole trick in linguistics is to stick "-" at the right=20
spot.
i mean, if japanese had the brilliant idea to write "iku wa-koyotsu-da" and=20
"koyotsu wa-iku" instead of "iku wa koyotsu da" and "koyotsu wa iku",
then they would not tell verbs from nouns anymore.
the whole face of the earth changes for so little.
BTW , ultimate test is : "the hungry coyote goes". try that one and tell
us.
------
That doesn't feel good.
------
feels best to me.
-------
'To' coyote is not a verb.
------
indeed, it's a noun.
and i suggest "ti-" is not a verbal but a topic tag
and "-a" is presentative/existential verb.
------
I must
> verbalise it some way, like 'to be a coyote'.
je hoeft niet. just use it as a noun like in : 'to be a coyote' ;-)
does "to be" show the nature, the behaviour, the state, the
diet of our furry friend ?
please define in a few words the verb "to coyote".
I see in the examples that
> Lillooet does not need morphology or some other instrument to change verb=
s
> into nouns and v.v..
english neither : hunt / hunt
"verb" and "noun" are beyond morphology.
i think we're not discussing the same topic.
and french is even better : it doesn't need morphem to topicalize !
"c'est mon p=E8re le pompier".=20
there is a nice french verb "to-be-my-father".
which means that french doesn't make any difference between
noun and verb. french beats everyone. the perfect ial, i tell you.
That makes me think that Lillooet does not really
> distinguish nouns from verbs.=20
now i know french and japanese don't either.
maybe we're all aliens creeping up the planet.
watch out.
> Is my interpretation right? If yes, then Tom could be right.
> What alternative interpretations are possible?
> =20
i dare not say.
> I have to admit, I was shocked the first time I was this. I tried to
> implement it into a conlang, but failed. It is too weird to me.
> =20
don't be afraid. that's only topicalization combined to
(well-marketed) alienating hyphenation.
american linguists are trained businessmen.
everything's BIG in america.
mathias