> From: Jörg Rhiemeier <joerg_rhiemeier@W...>
> Date: Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:09 pm
> Subject: Re: DRAFT: Numbers from 1 to 12 in Ayeri
>
> And looking at your Ayeri grammar (to which I found a link in the
> ZBB discussion), I hit upon a somewhat bizarre phenomenon, namely
> an animate-inanimate distinction in 2nd person pronouns. One doesn't
> often talk to inanimate objects; does one need special pronouns
> for this purpose?
But wouldn't it be interesting to invent a language in which a 2nd
person inanimate is useful? Maybe a language where it is used when you
are writing a letter? Viewing it as yourself talking to the paper, and
the paper later talking to the intended recipient. I am sure there must
be other interesting ways of making 2nd person inanimate useful as well.
Or maybe I am just a sucker for bizarre languages ;)
~Trinsic