Re: CHAT: weird names, was Re: conlanging,the ultimate feminist subversion

> Date:         Wed, 4 Aug 1999 11:34:12 -0300
> From: FFlores <fflores@...>
> I assume _ispinaza_ is from the same root as Spanish _espina_, though
> I don't see where <-za> came from. And thinking this morning about
> _iskultsu_ made me realize it look like Sp. _descalzo_, lit. 'unshod'
> (though *_calzo_ doesn't exist). Anyway the vowels are pretty messed
> up... /u/ instead of /a/ is very strange.
If I remember J. A. Rea's explanations correctly:

Protethic i where other Romance has e (before sp, st). Same reason,
independent development.

<-za> is the plural <-s> with an echo vowel, because words can't end
on that consonant --- then voiced because it's intervocalic.

I'm guessing that whatever corresponded to "descalzo" first lost "de"
--- like "sport" from "desportu" from "disportus" --- and then got
back a protethic vowel.

But the first <u> beats me... I could guess at regressive assimilation
of low vowels to high, but it could be anything really.

> Could _andet_ be actually a subjunctive, a 3rd person imperative?
As John said, yes. I just forgot that.

Lars Mathiesen (U of Copenhagen CS Dep) <thorinn@...> (Humour NOT marked)