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Re: Zera: Proto-Andinean, first part

From:Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...>
Date:Saturday, September 23, 2000, 4:16
Carlos Thompson wrote:
> i y } u > e 2 U o > E 9 @ V O > { a A
Wow! Lot's of vowels there!
> Nouns would bellong to one of three genders: animate, count > inanimate and mass.
Cool gender system.
> unmarked: used as absolute or nominative (subject for animates, > object for inanimates).
I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean that for animates, this acts as a nominative case, while for inanimates it acts as an absolutive case? So, if a sentence has an animate agent and an inanimate patient, both would be in unmarked case? Interesting.
> Four numbers: singular (unmarked), dual, plural and paucal. (mass > nouns are all unmarked for number)
Hey! Common Kassí had the same number system. :-)
> Definite article aglutinates.
Suffix or prefix?
> Four (marked) tenses: present, future, recent past and remote past.
What's the distinction between recent and remote past? Or is it not known?
> Five aspects: normal (unmarked), perfect, potencial, progresive, > repetitive.
What do these aspects represent? Like, does "normal" indicate a punctual activity? If so, can it be combined with present tense? Is potential used for a "going to" type aspect?
> Four moods: indicative (unmarked), irrealis, imperative, > interrogative.
Interrogative is a special mood? Interesting!
> Adverbs: Agree in case with adjective, or in tense with sentence.
Awesomeness!
> third person animate, third person inanimate
Is third person inanimate used for both count and mass nouns?
> four person animate, four person reflexive.
No fourth person inanimate? -- Dievas dave dantis; Dievas duos duonos God gave teeth; God will give bread - Lithuanian proverb ICQ: 18656696 AIM Screen-Name: NikTailor