From lojban-out@lojban.org Wed Jul 12 11:33:54 2006 Return-Path: X-Sender: lojban-out@lojban.org X-Apparently-To: lojban@yahoogroups.com Received: (qmail 77409 invoked from network); 12 Jul 2006 18:00:22 -0000 Received: from unknown (66.218.66.172) by m25.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 12 Jul 2006 18:00:22 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO chain.digitalkingdom.org) (64.81.49.134) by mta4.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 12 Jul 2006 18:00:21 -0000 Received: from lojban-out by chain.digitalkingdom.org with local (Exim 4.62) (envelope-from ) id 1G0ixS-0002V5-32 for lojban@yahoogroups.com; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:57:10 -0700 Received: from chain.digitalkingdom.org ([64.81.49.134]) by chain.digitalkingdom.org with esmtp (Exim 4.62) (envelope-from ) id 1G0ix1-0002UO-5Q; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:44 -0700 Received: with ECARTIS (v1.0.0; list lojban-list); Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:35 -0700 (PDT) Received: from nobody by chain.digitalkingdom.org with local (Exim 4.62) (envelope-from ) id 1G0iwa-0002Tr-OB for lojban-list-real@lojban.org; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:16 -0700 Received: from py-out-1112.google.com ([64.233.166.177]) by chain.digitalkingdom.org with esmtp (Exim 4.62) (envelope-from ) id 1G0iwZ-0002Ti-SC for lojban-list@lojban.org; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:16 -0700 Received: by py-out-1112.google.com with SMTP id x31so413762pye for ; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:14 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.35.27.1 with SMTP id e1mr1165125pyj; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:14 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.35.14.17 with HTTP; Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:56:14 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <925d17560607121056x268fb294idbfdc9f75d4ff1ca@mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 14:56:14 -0300 In-Reply-To: <37c.7b32157.31e6813f@wmconnect.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by Ecartis Content-Disposition: inline References: <37c.7b32157.31e6813f@wmconnect.com> X-Spam-Score: -1.7 (-) X-archive-position: 12154 X-ecartis-version: Ecartis v1.0.0 Errors-to: lojban-list-bounce@lojban.org X-original-sender: jjllambias@gmail.com X-list: lojban-list X-Spam-Score: -1.7 (-) To: lojban@yahoogroups.com X-Originating-IP: 64.81.49.134 X-eGroups-Msg-Info: 1:0:0:0 X-eGroups-From: "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Jorge_Llamb=EDas?=" From: "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Jorge_Llamb=EDas?=" Reply-To: jjllambias@gmail.com Subject: [lojban] Re: singular vs. plural X-Yahoo-Group-Post: member; u=116389790; y=Iz-l1A3Puw00IBl_kYXtIlQ0yHJcPdG_af1wdEJIujiNFu6PwQ X-Yahoo-Profile: lojban_out X-Yahoo-Message-Num: 26583 On 7/12/06, MorphemeAddict@wmconnect.com wrote: > > But are there any languages that distinguish between low-number, e.g., > perhaps 1 through 5, and high-number, greater than 5? IOW, where the > 'singular'/'low-number' category includes more than just 1? Many languages > have duals, but do any of them have no singular? There are many languages that have no grammatical number, therefore no singular, but I don't know if there is any that does have grammatical number but no singular. An interesting case with respect to number is Pirahã: << Pirahã is unusual among the world's languages today in having no numerals, although this appears to have been more common before the spread of modern trade and technology. There are apparently only three words that roughly describe quantity, somewhat akin to "a few", "some", and "many." There is no grammatical distinction between singular and plural, even in pronouns (see below). There is little distinction between individuated quantities and mass quantities, although this in and of itself is not so uncommon among languages. It is not thought to be possible to distinguish between, for example, one big fish and several small fish. However, it might well be the case that researchers simply have not yet learned how to make the distinction.>> mu'o mi'e xorxes To unsubscribe from this list, send mail to lojban-list-request@lojban.org with the subject unsubscribe, or go to http://www.lojban.org/lsg2/, or if you're really stuck, send mail to secretary@lojban.org for help.