Re: Comments? Applicative and Noun Incorporation

The Gray Wizard <dbell@...> writes:

>> From: Elliott Lash
>>
>> David Peterson <DigitalScream@...> writes:
>>
>> >In a message dated 04/12/02 8:39:15 AM, AL260@AOL.COM writes:
>> >
>> ><< (oh, and it's split-ergative: nouns take ergative-absolutive
>> >marking, pronouns take nominative-accusative marking). >>
>> >
>> >    !??!?!  What prompted this?
>>
>>
>> Why not? Split-Ergative systems are fun!  Actually, what
>> happened was I started out with a sentence using a Pronoun,
>> which I didn't mark for any case, just put it in the regular
>> order SVO. But then, for some unknown reason, while making
>> sentences with Nouns in them, I marked them for a Subject
>> case...and then the idea popped into my head that I could
>> make it a Split-Ergative, with Nouns being marked and Pronouns not.

[SNIP amman iar explanation]

Wow, I'll have to read that again sometime. Anyway...well of course there is a
logic to Split-Ergative along your lines (as you've shown) as well as along the
related lines of my unnamed language....or else, why would split-ergative
systems exist anyway? :)

Elliott