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Re: Ergative?

From:The Gray Wizard <dbell@...>
Date:Friday, September 28, 2001, 18:02
> From: Vasiliy Chernov > > On Fri, 28 Sep 2001 07:26:01 -0400, The Gray Wizard <dbell@...> > wrote: > > [...] > >I don't believe that split-ergativity affects these examples since the > split > >is generally along some semantic divide, although some splits could > >certainly confuse these matters. > > Actually, split-ergativity makes the distinction easier, since there are > no split passives... or am I wrong?
Depends on the criteria for the split. In my conlang, amman iar, the split is made along an animacy continuum causing speech-act pronouns to take a nom/acc paradigm. The girl-ERG kiss-ACT the boy-ABS "The girl kissed the boy." The boy-ABS kiss-PASS (the girl-INS) "The boy was kissed (by the girl)." You-NOM kiss-ACT the boy-ABS "You kissed the boy." The boy-ABS kiss-PASS (you-INS) "The boy was kissed (by you)." The girl-ERG kiss-ACT I-ACC "The girl kissed me." I-NOM kiss-PASS (the girl-INS) "I was kissed (by you)." You-NOM kiss-ACT I-ACC "You kissed me.) I-NOM kill-PASS (you-INS) "I was kissed (by you)." If you coupled this with an ERG/INS conflation (and perhaps a ACC/INS conflation?? Hmmm?), I think you wind up with the same level of ambiguity. Stay curious, David David E. Bell The Gray Wizard www.graywizard.net elivas en ishron ordelmar cotronian Wisdom begins in wonder.