Re: New Project

Tim Smith wrote:
-----<snip details about proximate/obviative systems>-----
>There's somebody on this list (I think Laurie Gerholz) who could
>tell you more about how this works in the Algonquian family;
>there's also at least one other conlang, Dirk Elzinga's Tepa, that
>uses this kind of system.
>
>One potential problem with this system is that, for a transitive
>verb with two 3rd-person arguments, the system only works if at
>least one of the arguments (the subject or the direct object) is
>proximate.  I'm not sure how Algonquian languages handle the
>situation where some other NP (an oblique object) is more topical
>than either of the two core arguments, but I'm borrowing something
>from the Bantu languages: a set of verbal derivational processes
>called applicatives, that turn indirect or oblique (prepositional)
>objects into direct objects.  I'm also using applicatives for
>relative-clause formation, because I'm using a method of
>relativizing that only works for subjects and direct objects.
>
Actually, I think Dirk Elzinga's Tepa uses applicatives as well to
solve exactly the same problem regarding verbs with two third-person
arguments. He calls it causative/benefactive/applicative (or CBA).
It writes: 'The CBA construction has the effect of adding an
argument to a predicate.' This could be useful in your situation.

>I'll tell you about this in more detail sometime soon (I hope).
>
Overall, an interesting project. I'm looking forward to more
details. I'm especially looking forward to how you're applying
applicatives to the relative-clause formation.

Regards,
-Kristian- 8-)