> From: yl-ruil <yl-ruil@...>
> Subject: Kansu
>
> Do you remember Bulyth: the language no-one could read?
(Upon seeing this wonderfully mysterious epithet--the language no-one could
read!--I was disappointed to remember it was just in reference to past HTML
formatting)
> From: Sally Caves <scaves@...>
> Subject: Is the list locked?????
>
> I know it's Easter Day, but I can't believe all you
> conlangers are out there finding colored eggs instead
> of talking.
>
> For the whole day, though, I've received no mail at
> all. None.
The digest wasn't sent either. I staid up late fer nothin.
> From: Vasiliy Chernov <bc_@...>
> Subject: Ellipsis (was: Re: Italian Particles)
>
> I suspect that enabling ellipsis is not so mandatory.
>
> For example, in English, you can't say simply 'Reads' in reply to a
> question like 'What does he do?' (Or at least I was taught you can't;
> L1 speakers may correct me).
You can say it, but it sounds weird _by itself_.
In response to "What does he do?" I can't answer "Reads" but I could say
"Reads--a *lot*", or somesuch.
> In many cases you can't omit the object. This may be partly conditioned
> by the common transitive/intransitive homonymy ('Burn!' wouldn't mean
> the same as 'Burn it!'), but there must be other factors involved (can
> you ever say in English simply 'Give!' or 'Take!', I wonder? And why,
> if not?).
Give, yes; take, probably not in informal use.
"Give!" by itself again is stranger than, say, "Give, give" (entreating
someone to share. You might hear Timon says it in the movie The Lion King.
See? I'm citing Disney.)
> From: John Cowan <cowan@...>
> Subject: Re: Lurkers
>
> And Rosta scripsit:
>
> > I've never understood it & forget where it's from. I assume it is
supposed
> > to mean "They who only stand and wait are also useful" -- but why? Of
course,
> > if it means "Sales and bar staff eventually get round to serving those
who
> > meekly and quietly stand waiting to be served", then the meaning is
clear.
>
> The former meaning is clearly intended.
I always read it as a pun on waiter == food-server. :|
> From: John Cowan <cowan@...>
> Subject: Re: Ellipsis (was: Re: Italian Particles)
>
> Correct. Actually, I had Chinese in mind as a non-case-marking
> language. English still case-marks its pronouns, after all.
Plus the genitive case -s/-z/-ez (cat's, dog's, ranch's) on nouns!
> > In many cases you can't omit the object. This may be partly conditioned
> > by the common transitive/intransitive homonymy ('Burn!' wouldn't mean
> > the same as 'Burn it!'), but there must be other factors involved (can
> > you ever say in English simply 'Give!' or 'Take!', I wonder? And why,
> > if not?).
>
> "Take!" is impossible for me; it has to be "Take it!". As for "Give!",
> that is possible in a situation of begging (the Bible says:
> "The horse-leech has two daughters, crying, Give, give)".
The Bible also says "Take, eat; this is my body." (Mt 26:26)
> From: John Cowan <cowan@...>
> Subject: Re: Ellipsis (was: Re: Italian Particles)
>
> Basically Ray talking funny.
(I'm reminded of telegrams or whatchamacallem--JOHN TALKING FUNNY STOP
PLEASE SEND COPULAS STOP)
> From: Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...>
> Subject: Re: Dsh (Orcan) Phonology, and a preview of the grammar
>
> > ¡Él está viviendo, aleluya!
>
> Not ¡Él vive!, simple present tense?
My first impulse is, ¡Él se vive! but my second impulse tells me that's
probably not grammatical in that kind of construction (as opposed to "a él
se vive en calle nueve" or the like)
> From: Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...>
> Subject: Re: Comer manzanas (was: Italian Particles)
>
> FFlores wrote:
> > ¿Te gusto [yo]?
> > ¿Le gustas [a él]?
>
> Interesting! Do you have any idea if this is used everywhere in the
> Spanish-speaking world, or only in certain parts? It could be that
> _gustar_ is developing into a less impersonal meaning.
> After all, same happened in "think" in English, _me thinks_ -> _I think_
Whaet? Less impersonal? This doesn't look different than the other
"gustar" examples...
¿Te gusto? = Do you like me? ("you I-please?")
¿Le gustas? = Does he like you? ("him you-please?")
*Muke
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