How do languages deal with the distinctions like to see/to watch ? :eng: English: I don't see you. I don't watch TV every day. I hear music. She listens to music. http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns In Géarthnuns, you glom the prefix dim- on to the sensory verbs to change them from generic pe...
http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Sí la sö zodöbs nöi. [si 'la sø zo'døbs 'nøj] 1 SG-NOM AUX.PRES INDEF boy- NOM be I am a boy. Sí la chö zodöbs, chöböt öçek lé sek sömöthsed pungemnöthed thenge umpeth sho, nöi. [si 'la tʃø zo'døbs, 'tʃøbøt ø'ɕɛk 'le sɛk sø'møθsɛd ˌpuŋɛ'mnøθɛd ˌθɛŋɛ um'pɛθ ...
It sounds like the aorist tense or the Generic / Gnomic aspect. I would think, using this phrase daily, that it would sound more sincere to use the aorist, like English more or less does, than just the present "I am loving you". But I suppose that's me. Perhaps. To snip from the Wikipedia...
Kankonian: Trying to help his friend made Peter happy. Novos id kuni id meshi ad wan hazien ad iyef Peter. try done_to help done_to friend to 3sg make-PST to happy Peter Géarthnuns: Chau zhömauíörsaut ba kupaz chau jebethalörs lén Pétersaut höi sfalöker nöi. [tʃɔ 'ʒømɔ'jøɾsɔt ba ku'paz tʃɔ dʒɛ'bɛθa...
transcendent tense (use sparingly) Can you explain the transcendent tense? And why one uses it sparingly? Sure. From a post over on the Conlang List, I once wrote: " Géarthnuns has the "transcendent" tense, which originally started out as a Romance-style imperfect back in my high sch...
http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Öçek la sau mölkarharsaut rhashperaut högvasef? [ø'ɕɛk 'la sɔ mølka'Xaɾsɔt Xaʃ'pɛɾɔt hø'gvasɛf] you- NOM AUX.PRES INDEF language- ACC new- ACC learn- INTERR Are you learning a new language? Öçek la chau mölkarharsaut chegveraut högvasef? [ø'ɕɛk 'la tʃɔ mølk...
http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Sí la öçket söl. ['si 'la 'øɕkɛt 'søl] 1 SG-NOM AUX.PRES 2 SG-ACC love I love you. For a special moment: your wedding day, Valentine's Day, Christmas, your anniversary, etc... you can ratchet it up a notch with the transcendent tense (use sparingly): Sí lü ...
http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Péters lé cha höilkansat tail. ['petɛɾs 'le tʃa højl'kãsat 'tajl] Peter- NOM AUX.PAST DEF door- ACC open Peter opened the door. Cha höilkans lé tail. [tʃa højl'kãs 'le 'tajl] DEF door- NOM AUX.PAST open The door opened. Cha höilkans lét tail. [tʃa højl'kãs ...
:eng: I can speak (my mouth and tongue are free). :eng: I can speak (I know the language). :eng: I can speak (I am permitted to do so). http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Sí la ba möl kalokh. [si 'la ba 'mø:l ka'lox] 1 SG-NOM AUX/PRES PTCL speak be.able I can speak. (I've put down the peanut ...
http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Chau teshers héfalör la ba héf fautail. [tʃɔ 'tɛʃɛɾs 'hefaløɾ ˌla ba 'hef fɔ'tajl] DEF cat- NOM sleep. PRES.PTPL-NOM AUX.PRES PTCL sleep like The sleeping cat likes to sleep. Chö ngarebs la chau teshersaut ba dimbarasuth fautail. [tʃø 'ŋaɾɛbs 'la tʃɔ tɛ'ʃɛɾ...
http://i.imgur.com/DL5vo8E.png Géarthnuns Öçek la che chegvethset höngusef? [ø'ɕɛk 'la tʃɛ tʃɛ'gvɛθsɛt hø'ŋusɛf] 2 SG-NOM AUX.PRES DEF which- ACC prefer- INTERR Which one do you prefer? Öçek la che sülíthset hetaum che zíauríthset höhüraf? [ø'ɕɛk 'la tʃɛ sy'liθsɛt hɛ'tɔm tʃɛ zjɔ'ɾiθsɛt hø'hyɾaf] 2 ...