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Re: verbal classifiers

From:FFlores <fflores@...>
Date:Friday, May 21, 1999, 16:01
Matt Pearson <mpearson@...> wrote:.
> > The idea is for a conlang (call it Awari - I like that name), in which > all verbs are formed from two parts, a PREVERB (or VERBAL CLASSIFIER) > and a ROOT. The preverb gives information about the argument structure > and type of event the verb refers to, while the root provides the > semantic content.
[snip very interesting system] This immediately reminded me of Georgian preverbs, tho their have a different function and are more restricted. I quote: The primary function of the preverb is to indicate direction when used with verbs of motion. It has the secondary functions of indicating the perfective aspect, and of changing the basic meaning of a verb stem. The preverb has also acquired additional functions which are not considered here. The more common preverbs with their directional meanings are: mi- ('hither'), mo- ('thither'), a(gh)- ('up'), ga(n)- ('out, away, off'), ga(r)da- ('over, across, through'), da- ('down'), she- ('in'), cha- ('(in and) down'), ts'a(r)- ('away, off'). Compound preverbs, formed by adding -mo- to any but the first two in this list, result in a reversal of direction from 'away from' the speaker to 'towards' the speaker. Examples of the use of directional preverbs are mi-di-s ('he goes'), gad-mo-tsur-a ('he swam across to here') (the final -a of gada- is dropped before -mo-). Preverbs can qualify the basic meaning of a verb root and, on occasions, the resulting verbs may have apparently totally unrelated meanings, e.g. cha-rt-av-s ('he will switch it on'), mo-rt-av-s ('he will decorate it'), she-rt-av-s ('he will marry him to her', 'he will mix it with it'). --Pablo Flores