Re: How naturalistic is this? Colors & Composition in Sein'

David J. Peterson wrote:
> Examples:
> <<
> rómo
> sword
>
> rómot lédh
> sword-METAL black
> "iron sword"
>
> rómot tháya
> sword-METAL red
> "copper sword"
>
> rómonh fála
> sword-WOOD white
> "ivory/bone sword"
>
> rómonh sádha
> sword-WOOD yellow
> "birchwood sword"
>
> Is this totally weird? Do natlangs do stuff like that?
>  >>
>
> I'd say that it's common for a natlang to have "red + metal = copper",
> etc.  This specific instantiation, though, I'd wager doesn't occur in
> any natural language.  I think a linguist might want to say that the
> /-t/ and /-nh/ suffixes are clitics, so that the adjectives could then
> modify them.  But, then again, they could just as easily be derivational
> suffixes.  In either case, I think no natural language would do it.
> Very neat!
Is there any reason not to analyze these as prefixes?  I.e.,
rómo tlédh
Sword metal-black

rómo ttháya
sword metal-red

rómo nhfála
sword wood-white

rómo nhsádh
sword wood-yello

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