Re: Syntax in an Ebisedic language

On Sat, Apr 05, 2003 at 09:58:16AM -0500, Christopher Wright wrote:
> Bama.
>
> I've yet another project, but the only reason I approach now is to gain
> the advice and pilfer the experience of many far wiser than me.
>
> The cases I have are originative, essive (I think that's the right word;
> used as "to"), beneficient, genitive, and locative. I hope that they do
> not mirror too greatly your cases, H.S. Teoh.
I don't mind, copy Ebisedian as much as you want. :-)

> I'll try to keep them different (read: more rational ;))), but I won't
> discuss Wirt'an much anyway. It isn't my love...yet.
Oh, Ebisedian is quite rational... just not in the way most languages are.
:-P

> My question was one of word order. How would I arrange sentences? Based on
> what? The cases used can change based on the relationship emphasized[1],
> so the cases themselves would likely be useless for this. Perhaps it is
> accusative or ergative in word order but totally alien in cases?
[snip]

Uh... what exactly is "accusative word order"? Accusative languages
exhibit all kinds of word orders; nothing about its accusativity demands a
particular word order.

But as far as "Ebisedic" languages go... I am currently planning that one
of Ebisedian's descendant langs would be topic-fronted, independently of
case. So the noun you want to emphasize would come first, then the verb,
then the other nouns. Currently, Ebisedian already exhibits this behaviour
to a little bit, but it is still free word order generally speaking.

I'm also considering using trigger marking in another of Ebisedian's
daughter langs... >:-) Believe it or not, this will actually make it
closer to any natlang than it currently is. :-P


T

--
Only boring people get bored. -- JM