Re: Trigger languages

Eric:
<<
So, is it the case that the *terms* "trigger language" and "trigger
system" are not used in descriptions of natlangs? Or they are used,
but describe something different from the conlang concept of a
trigger language?
 >>

I don't know the old literature well enough to say how exactly
the term was first used.  Conlangers certainly didn't invent the
term; it was first used in the literature.  The earliest article I've
read was written by Sandra Chung, and it was an RP analysis,
so it analyzed it as a kind of passive.  My understanding is that
the Conlang Trigger Language is very similar to the first analysis
of, for example, Tagalog, but that work since has shown that
those analyses were "wrong" (replace that with the academic
word for "wrong").  I'm certainly convinced that there's a better
way to analyze Malagasy, at the very least.  I haven't read
enough of the older literature to give a good answer, though.
The people who might know would be Roger Mills and/or
Doug Ball (Doug's currently writing his dissertation on Tongan).

-David
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"sunly eleSkarez ygralleryf ydZZixelje je ox2mejze."
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