Re: Looking for a case: counting

I don't quite understand why you detail that Mrs. X doesn't drive and why
your repeat sentences with two different subjects. To speak a language like
Khmer or a creole or a pidgin, you need to breakdown processes in a
chrono-logical way. You don't say "Koko move city inside car"; You rather
say: "Koko (in) inside car; (He) go_to city." "Koko and Mrs X smash the car
with a hammer in the garage" is: "Koko and Mrs X; (They) use hammer; (They)
smash car; (They/it) locate garage."

Complexity of syntax and number of words are two different things. You could
imagine a language with a simple syntax and a precise enough vocabulary. You
could also have coreferencing pronouns pointing to the word or the clause
precedent or subsequent. "Koko-say happen sun-up" would simply be "This
(=the event described in the clause before") (takes_place) every day."

Trying to breakdown words into smaller parts and these into self-explaining
"primitive" particles lengthens words at best. From Sumerians to Chinese,
languages that have an analytical vocabulary made of compounds don't
breakdown their components below a certain level of meaning because it does
not make sense.

Philippe Caquant <herodote92@...> wrote:
>>>>
Your remark is perfectly relevant. But would Koko be
able to express such a complex idea ? I doubt it.
Maybe some Super-Koko could do it:
- You listen Koko say.
- Koko has car.
- Koko sit inside car.
- Ms-X sit inside car.
- Koko drive car.
- Ms-X no drive car.
- Car move city.
- Koko move city inside car.
- Ms-X move city inside car.
- Car come city.
- Koko come city inside car.
- Ms-X come city inside car.
- That Koko-say.
- Koko-say happen sun-up.
- Koko-say happen sun-down sun-up.
- Koko-say happen sun-up sun-down sun-up.
- That Koko-say.
- Ugh !
(I'm not quite satisfied about the translation of
'every day' into 'sun-up / sun-down sun-up / sun-up
sun-down sun-up', perhaps there could be some other
possibility).
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