Re: Dune Conlang

FFlores wrote:

> How do you break _gesserit_ down?
It's from the verb "gerere", which has a vast range of meaning
and did not IIRC survive in any Romance language.  Its literal
sense is "bear about, carry, wear"; by extension "bring forth,
be pregnant with, produce"; metaphorically "play a part,
conduct oneself, behave, show, exhibit, manifest, administer,
manage, regulate, do business, spend time".  In this case,
"behave" or "conduct oneself" is the best translation.

Morphologically, "gesserit" is ambiguous: it could be the
future perfect indicative, or the present perfect subjunctive.
In this case the latter is the right thing.

        quamdiu bene gesserit
        as:long:as well he:will:have:behaved
        during (his) good behavior

> It looks absolutely non-Latin to me!
> (Plus, how do you *pronounce* it?)
/'ges se rit/, just as it looks.  All vowels are short.

--

John Cowan      http://www.reutershealth.com            jcowan@reutershealth.com
Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis vom dies! / Schliess eurer Aug vor heiliger Schau
Den er genoss vom Honig-Tau / Und trank die Milch vom Paradies.
                -- Coleridge (tr. Politzer)