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Re: THEORY: irregular conlangs

From:Christophe Grandsire <grandsir@...>
Date:Monday, October 4, 1999, 8:05
Nik Taylor wrote:
> > Christophe Grandsire wrote: > > Just like Japanese which makes its plural pronouns regularly by > > suffixing '-tachi' to some singular pronouns (this suffix means "... and > > others" and can be used on names to mean "X and others"). > > I thought there was another suffix which could also be used? >
Except the suffix -ra, used with kare: him, I can't find any other suffix. But my Japanese is still pretty basic :)
> > But Japanese don't use them very often (seeing their length, that's not > > a surprise :) ). > > Do you mean that "watashi" can mean "we" as well as "I"? >
No, they don't use any pronoun at all. "Watashi" is as seldom used as its plural counterpart "watashitachi". And I'm not talking of "anata" which is even considered rude when used with people other than near family and close friends (it's as rude as pointing one's finger to someone else in France).
> -- > Oh Lord, grant that we may always be right, for thou knowest we will > never change our mind. - Scots Prayer > http://members.tripod.com/~Nik_Taylor/X-Files/ > http://members.tripod.com/~Nik_Taylor/Books.html > ICQ: 18656696 > AIM Screen-Name: NikTailor
-- Christophe Grandsire Philips Research Laboratories -- Building WB 145 Prof. Holstlaan 4 5656 AA Eindhoven The Netherlands Phone: +31-40-27-45006 E-mail: grandsir@natlab.research.philips.com