Re: USAGE: "I want crazy two years ago"

Damien Perrotin wrote:
> Skrivet en doa Andreas Johansson:
[snip]
>>The verb _gehen_ (1st sg ind. _gehe_) is NOT to be identified with the prefix
>>_ge-_ seen on past participles like _gesprochen_. In fact, you get the prefix
>>on the past part. of _gehen_ itself: _gegangen_.
Exactly - there is no connexion between the prefix ge- & the Germanic
verb "to go".

> In gothic (not the ancestor of German, but probably close) ga- was a
> perfective prefix.  German associated with past participle but that's a
> recent development. To go was gangan in both gothic and High Old German,
> gan in Old English
Is this just extra info, or are you suggesting there _is_ a connexion
between ga- and gangan etc?

I thought the Germanic prefix ge-/ga- was cognate with Latin co(n)- and
similar prefixes in other IE langs. Nothing to do with "to go". BTW what
is the origin of the Germanic verb for "go"?
===================================

As for Mike's
"Ge = verb notice or something like that.

Ich habe Gesprocken = I have spoken.

Ich Ge = I go? "

Yes, it may be a bit of wild folk etymology. But I'm never quite certain
with Mike. It could've been intended as a humorous wind-up. Remember the
progress~Congress thing and more recently 'San-skrit'?

If only he'd use the occasional smiley  :)

--
Ray
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http://www.carolandray.plus.com
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"Ein Kopf, der auf seine eigene Kosten denkt,
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"A mind that thinks at its own expense
will always interfere with language".
J.G. Hamann, 1760