Re: Missing Words

In a message dated 03/12/02 5:29:19 PM, matthew.bladen@BTOPENWORLD.COM writes:

<< This isn't the boldest step in the world, I know, but I thought I'd
bring it up to ask a more general question: what words have other
conlangers felt able to do away with, and why? By 'do away with' I
mean 'not represent, not have exist' as opposed to expressing notions
via cases and whatnot. I suppose definite and indefinite articles are
the most obvious. >>

    For Kamakawi, I don't have a word "and" in any sense, but I do have words
that perform its function--does this not count?
    What I mean is, this:
    1.) "and" (this *and* that): This is taken care of by a prefix "oi-"
which expresses the commitative, "with" (I think that's the proper term), so
that "U ale ei oilea" is /New-sujbect go I with-he/, which would be "He and I
go" or "I go with him", and you'd do the same with "I see the fish and the
boy", "A mata ei i nawa oipataki" /n.s. see I pred. fish with-boy/.  There's
a different word if you wanted to say something like "I see the boy with (who
is holding) a fish", which indicates that one has control over another, in
case you were wondering if the above could be ambiguous.
    2.) "and" (I x'd *and* [then] y'd): This is taken care of by the definite
subject markers.  As above, all sentences must have a subject marker come
first (except in the present, in some cases).  The definite ones (they have
/e/ somewhere in them) indicate "and then" when they come afterwards, so "I
hug the fish and (then) go to Hawaii", would be "A mama ei i nawa e ale i
Hawaii" /n.s. hug I pred. fish same-subject(=and then) go (I) pred.(=to)
Hawaii/.  I haven't decided what to do about two clauses where the verb is
the same, like, "I'll see her and then you", where you could say "I'll see
her and then I'll see you", but the redundant material is dropped, in
English.  I'm hesitant to do this in Kamakawi, though I can't say why...  I
still haven't decided.
    Another missing word is "to have".  First time, for me (I think).  I
developed a rather complex set of genitive prefixes, which describe in great
detail the relationship of one thing to another (whether it's a family
relation, something you're holding in your hand, an idea, etc.).  "Oi-", as
mentioned above, is one of them (I think there are seven...).  Anyway, when I
started thinking about expressing possession, I saw that I didn't need a word
for have.  Here's an example ("li-" indicates familial relationships):

mala liei = my mother = /mother gen.-I/
Mala i liei = I have a mother = /mother pred. gen.-I/

    The latter is the standard form for expressing equative clauses.  That's
all I can think of for missing words right now.  :)  Always an interesting
topic.

-David

P.S.: I noticed that when I hit "reply", it replied to you, personally, and
not the list.  There's a way you can fix this, though I'm not sure how...

"Zi hiwejnat zodZaraDatsi pat Zi mirejsat dZaCajani sUlo."
"The future's uncertain and the end is always near."
                --Jim Morrison

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