Re: my conlang: anyone interested?

Katav Dan Sulani:

>     Interesting idea; but I'm having a bit of a problem
> trying to wrap my mind around a verb with
> obligitory perfect aspect.
Oh no! I didn't mean that the verb should be *obligatory* perfect(ive). I mean
that its *non-marked/default* form is perfective, or, bettersay,
stative/resultative. Many adjectives (e.g. colours) would fall into this
category:
_batu kalang_ '(the) soil (is/has been) hoed' :: _batu soró_ '(the) soil (is)
black'.
To make it durative, add a "progressive" prefix (may differ for various verbs,
but the main ones are _me-_ and _menga-_):
_batu mekalang_ '(the) soil is:being-hoed'

> _wachi sipu_ 'water (is) drunk', _tapu chama_ 'bread (is) eaten'.
The same here: _wachi mengasipu_ 'water is:being-drunk', _tapu mengachama_
'bread is:being-eaten'

The approach has certain interesting consequences. The major one is ergativity!
See:
_nayas wachi sipu_ 'I have drunk water' (< _naya_ 'I')
_suyas tapu mengachama_ 'you:sn are eating bread' (< _suya_ 'you:sn')
_yatesa batu mekalang_ 'father is hoeing soil' (< _yaté_ 'father')

>     How, for example, would this lang translate
> the old soul-music classic: "Hold on! I'm coming!" ?
> ...IOW, an imperfect action!
Easy!
_kita_ 'to come' (yesiknowthatsjapanese... VBEG)
so,
_naya mekita_ 'I am coming' (ideally: I'm in process of reaching the state of
having come)

> Dan Sulani
Best regards,
-- Yitzik