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Re: Set of basic adpositions

From:ROGER MILLS <rfmilly@...>
Date:Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 6:04
I checked Kash and was not surprised to find just 3 (or maybe 4)--

ri  locative, whether _to_ or _in/at/on_ depends on the following case
alo ablative 'from, away from'
yam comitative

the possible 4th: liri 'about, concerning', but it's a redup. */ri+ri/

all others are phrasal with the above, or derivs. from nouns or verbs.....
inga 'without' = inga to lack
yambit ~ umit 'with (instrumental) < (yam+)umit 'to use'
uçoñi 'for (purpose, beneficial)' < uçom (n.) 'purpose'

Indonesian also seems to have 4 or 5, unless I'm forgetting some:
ke  'to...' (direction)
dari 'from...'
di 'in, at...'
pada usu. with human objects 'for (beneficial)' as well as dative, and at
least one other meaning, as in _marah pada..._ 'angry at/with...' and in
some areas it may(?) mean 'in order to...'
(?) untuk beneficial but also purpose (can also introduce purpose clauses).

Others are phrasal with the above, or compounds/derivatives of nouns or
verbs or 'other' e.g.
dengan 'with' (both senses) but can also mean 'and', and sometimes 'friend,
associate'
sampai 'until' ~ 'arrive'
sesudah 'after' < sudah 'already'
sebelum 'before' < belum 'not yet'
selama 'during' < lama 'long time'
etc. etc.

Reply

Carsten Becker <carbeck@...>