Re: Trigger language?

On Monday 20 January 2003 1:00 am, Christopher Wright wrote:
> Kio H.S. Teoh hal
>
> >How would you describe such an odd system? :-)
>
> As being odd :)) I doubt there's a natlang with such a feature, so it's
> likely unnamed.
>
I'd say it's like an Ergative system that has been screwed around with.  I
actually like the system.  It's pretty clean and quite logical.  Your example
(see/look), could be seen as a transitive/intransitive system.  You could say
the Originative is the Absolutive and the Receptive the Ergative, which
doubles as a Dative in intransitive sentences.  I'd actually say it is a
pretty natural system...

Reply