[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[lojban] Re: singular vs. plural
I've always thought that one-few-many was an eminently sensible and
intuitive division, and I wonder why more languages don't use it.
Looking at http://linguistlist.org/issues/8/8-239.html (archives of the
linguist mailing list) I see someone noting that singular-paucal-plural
"is found in the Cushitic language Bayso, where the paucal is used for
reference to 'a small discrete number (from two to six) of individuals'
(Hayward 1979:102). Bayso has this system in nouns, while Kayapó, a Jê
language of Brazil, has it in its pronoun system (Wiesemann 1986:361,
368). It is also found in Avar, but relatively few nouns are involved
(Sulejmanov 1985)" (and he's asking if anyone knows of other such
languages) while quite a few languages have singular-dual-paucal-plural.
Láadan has singular-paucal-plural division.
Still doesn't answer your question about whether there is a language
with paucal-plural but no singular. It would seem unlikely; the
distinction between one and many is even more basic than between few and
lots.
~mark
MorphemeAddict@wmconnect.com wrote:
In a message dated 7/12/2006 4:22:34 AM Central Standard Time,
ecartis@digitalkingdom.org writes:
Maxim Katcharov <maxim.katcharov@gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't suggest that a language would not function without plurals,
> but that it's odd that the line was drawn between 1 and 2. Without an
> explanation for this, one would think that there are languages out
> there that have a pervasive plural that makes itself known between 2
> and 3, for example.
There are such languages. See:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_number> for some examples.
mu'o mi'e xorxes
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?
stevo
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.