Re: Small Derivational Idea

On Feb 23, 2009, at 2∞03 PM, Garth Wallace wrote:��> On that note, does
anyone know how natlangs determine where in a�> morpheme an infix may be
inserted?���It's based on phonological constraints usually (languages
don't�know about "morphemes". They're not a very useful theoretical�device,
in my opinion). So, for example, in Tagalog it comes�after the onset, or just
appears as a prefix if there isn't one.�There was an interesting paper on the
psychological cohesion�(if that's the term I want) of onset clusters using
infixes in Tagalog.�Originally, there were no onset clusters in Tagalog, but
contact�has brought words with onset clusters into the language,
e.g.�"gradwet" (from English "graduate"). With /-um-/ there were�two
possibilities:��(1) gumradwet�(2) grumadwet��Speakers consistently
prefer (2).��I can only recall seeing infixes that infixed right after the
first�consonant or syllable (prefixing infixes), or right before the�last
consonant or syllable (suffixing infixes). It's theoretically�possible
(though likely unattested) for a language to do almost�anything,
including:��(3) Infixing after/before a certain number of phonemes.�(4)
Infixing as close to the direct center as possible.�(5) Infixing after an
even syllable, or suffixing to monosyllabic words.�(6) Infixing after the
lowest alphabetic
letter.��Etc.��-David�*******************************************************************�"sunly
eleSkarez ygralleryf ydZZixelje je ox2mejze."�"No eternal reward will forgive
us now for wasting the dawn."��-Jim
Morrison��http://dedalvs.conlang.org/�

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