Re: Dictionary formats

Andreas Johansson wrote:
>
> A trouble with dictionaries (mine at any rate) is that they make everything
> look like a relex. F'rinstance, the Tairezazh words _gravun_ and _elkergast_
> refer to quite different state structures, yet both are translated to
> English as "empire"*!
Interesting.  Words for political structures are very undeveloped in
Uatakassi.  In the classical period that I study, there probably aren't
any words for different types of structures, but in later times they'd
probably develop some, either thru compounding or borrowing.  I have a
hard time figuring out what they'd focus on in naming structures, so I
just use English words in referring to their various political units
(like, The Kassi Empire, the Sanle Empire, the Targden Republic, etc. -
actually, I suppose the Kassi Empire could be called the Kassi
Matriarchy, since the Empress is viewed as metaphorically the mother of
her people)

At any rate, you could just use brief notes for the two, like "gravun:
Empire (military)", "elkergast: Empire (hereditary)"  That's what I do
with similar distinctions, like "lau: eat/drink (social)" "kafti:
eat/drink (non-social)"

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