Re: EXERCISE: Meanings of to be

--- In conlang@y..., Jake X <alwaysawake247@H...> wrote:

> >That's what we have the liquid aspect for.  It's a verb inflection.
> I was positive no one would have a similar verb inflection (in their
> conlangs), but I included it besides, because it is an English use of to be,
> if not an Obranje one.
And since you asked for it, I stated the way Obrenje implements that
function.


> > > 5. Numerical equivalence: One plus one is two.
> >
> >That's just a special case of 2.
> In some languages. It seems you're generalizing, or are you just talking
> about Obranje? In EO, for example, 5 has its own word: "egalas." The more
> common english usage for that sense is also unique: "equals."
Many languages have unique words for mathematical equality, German
uses the phrase "A(Nom) ist gleich B(Dat)" or just "A(Nom) gleich
B(Dat)", where the dative inflection is mostly lost on indeclinable
numbers and variables.

However, you did not ask for equivalents for the English "equals",
but for the English "is".  The English "is" in case 5 is a special
case of case 2.  The fact that there is a special word to replace
it doesn't change much about that.

I haven't given Obrenje mathematics much thought so far, except
that they count in base 8 and have a relatively easy way of
scientific notation that is used even in colloquial usage above, say
512.  Basically, instead of 1.246 * 8 ^ 7, you'd write something
like 7 # 1.246, and pronounce it in that sequence.  That way, you
establish the order of magnitude right away (the most important
thing), and then name as many digits as you deem necessary.


-- Christian Thalmann