Re: polysynthetic conlangs
| From: | Garth Wallace <gwalla@...> |
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| Date: | Wednesday, January 7, 2004, 21:11 |
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On Wednesday, January 7, 2004, at 07:08 AM, Thomas R. Wier wrote:
>
> Here are some
> off-the-cuff characteristics frequently cited in polysynthetic
> languages:
>
<snip>
> (4) Often have robust valence changing operations, including
> passives, antipassives, causatives and applicatives.
Does this mean that a polysynthetic lang may have both passive and
antipassive?
> (5) Often nonconfigurational: no evidence for the existence of a VP
> (6) As a result of (5), often having discontinuous constituents
> (7) incorporation of subordinate predicates
Could you explain these? Especially 5 and 6. You've gotten me curious.