Re: Degrees of comparation

> Reduplication in Uatakassí generally conveys both of these, that is,
> ziikú "beautiful", ziikuziikú "extremely beautiful" OR "too
> beautiful",
> depending on context.
>
> But, there are some words that are often reduplicated with no
> significance at all, particularly monosyllabic adjectives, for
instance,
> _tiá_ "learned", _tiatiá_ "learned", NOT "extremely learned" or "too
> learned".  Color terms are often like that, like the (slightly
> irregular) mlallál < mlál "blue".  The _m_ was dropped because /lml/ is
> a bit of a tongue-twisting combination.  :-)
Eh, why?  Just for fun?  Linguistic perversity?

Jesse S. Bangs     Pelíran
jaspax@ juno.com
"There is enough light for those that desire only to see, and enough
darkness for those of a contrary disposition."  --Blaise Pascal

Reply