Re: Bootstrapping a cooperative conlang

In a message dated 11/16/2007 2:31:41 AM Central Standard Time,
fiziwig@YAHOO.COM writes:


> The dictionary would be arranged chronologically for the first time learner,
> and alphabetically for the more advanced student. Until such time as the
> language grows to the point where complex grammatical issues can be discussed
> in the language itself, all grammatical rules are demonstrated by examples,
> rather than being explained.
>
In _Understanding cultures through their key words_, page 52, Wierzbicka
gives this explication for "friend2" (the modern meaning):

(a) everyone knows: many people think about some other people like this:
(b)     I know this person well
(c)     I want to be with this person often
(d)     I want to do things with this person often
(e)     when I am with this person, I feel something good
(f)     I think this person thinks the same about me
(g) I think like this about this person

Each line gives a detail of the meaning of the word.

Using the words in your list (by simple substitution), one gets:

(a) _all_+shanu amensa: _many_ shanu tensa (about) _some other_ shanu kui
_this_:
(b)     _I_ amensa _this_ shanu pono
(c)     _I_ deso *be with* _this_ shanu _many times_ ['be with' is not in her
list of primitives.]
(d)     _I_ deso pusha den *with* _this_ shanu _many times_
(e)     _when I_ *am with* _this_ shanu, _I feel_ den pono
(f)     _I_ tensa _this_ shanu tensa _the same_ *about* _I_  [In "X thinks Y
about Z", how to say 'about' is not addressed in the list or discussion of the
primitives.]
(g) _I_ amensa kui _this_ *about* _this_ shanu

Words between underscores (e.g., all, many/much, I, this, feel, when, the
same) are simply not included in your list yet.  Words between asterisks (e.g.,
be with, think *about*) are not discussed in the NSM list of primitives.

The English word "friend" has a lot of nuance to it.  Words could be assigned
to each line of the definition, and then be used modularly.

stevo   </HTML>

Reply