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Re: Zaik! (Hi there!) - Description of Lyanjen

From:Matt McLauchlin <matt_mcl@...>
Date:Wednesday, August 30, 2000, 3:11
Hi Nick,

>> Vowels are divided into "masculine" (/o/, /u/) and "feminine" (/e/, /i/) >> vowels (/a/ is neuter). The feminine vowels and /a/ change sound when >> they're stressed: e = /E/, é = /e/; a = /a/, á = /{/; i = /I/, í = /i/. U >> and I make diphthongs, but u can only be added to a feminine vowel or A,
and
>> I can only be added to a masculine vowel or A. > >Those are simply back (for masculine) and front (for feminine). Are >those the native terms? If so, how'd they get those terms?
Yea, those are the native terms, "board" = masculine, "lyeard" = feminine. They got those names because e and i are common endings for feminine names and corresponding for masculine names. Also, -e denotes feminine and -o denotes masculine (izad = spouse, izado = husband, izade = wife), going so far as to appear in several non-derived terms (múnie = queen, bédio = king).
>> Nouns: six cases, nominative, ergative, absolutive, genitive, locative,
and
>> dative. Consequently: > >Nominative, ergative, and absolutive? What are their functions? Is >"nominative", say, subject of intransitive verbs, and absolutive only >"object of transitive verbs"?
Absolutive isn't just the object of verbs, but also can be the subject. The thing is that it denotes a patient, and the ergative an agent.
>So, essentially, the underlying idea there is "[someone] reds me"?
Well, per (uh oh - who suggested this?), there could be a semantic distinction: Erit ian = something makes me red Ian erit = I redden
>> SELL I-dat = I purchase. >Interesting usage.
Compare German "ankaufen" and "verkaufen" (sp?), "on-transact" (buy) and "away-transact" (sell).