Re: very confused - syntax question

Dans un courrier dat=E9 du 05/07/99 20:48:08  , Ray a =E9crit :

> But if Jennifer goes down that road, she'll likely finish up with just an
>  English relex - which I guess is not what she wants.
> =20
you make THE point here.
you native speakers will never fully understand all the feeling of
freedom a non-native speaker enjoys when expressing himself
in english. english is the most refined language i ever met in my life.
it is by no means easy but is so incredibly complete and exotic.
too bad i met it so late in my 25's after so much time spent stubbornly
decyphering disappointingly whimsical natlangs.
now forget about that. i should rather do some vehement anglo-saxon
bashing as any true patriot does ;-).
as we french conlangers pointed it when we last met :
native speaking conlangers will always take english structure for granted
whereas it is very refined, concise and exotic to most romance speakers.
i think Jennifer should consider a language she knows where she can't say
"i was awarded a prize" but rather must stick to
"someone awarded a prize to me", although you can say also :
"me, someone awarded a prize to me". i name it : french. in other words :
"topicization : yes, oblique passive : no".
or : "topic is no mandatory subject".
now, english taught me that invaluable conlanging lesson :
"whatever you want to be a subject, make it a voice otherwise you get tired"=
.
(be it a "under ...ing" or "with ....ing" circumlocution ;-).
that's what i'm doing by now.

mathias