tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 23 06:38:22 2009
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Re: The topic marker -'e'
On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 8:43 AM, David Trimboli <[email protected]> wrote:
> Steven Lytle wrote:
>> What evidence is there that "Sor" is third person?
>
> It's a noun. All nouns are in the third person.
The question here is whether "all nouns are in the third person" is an
actual rule, or merely an observation that can be modified by other
evidence. How about nouns used as direct address? I can see them being
considered second person.
Speaking of which, here's an interpretation of {mapum Sor} that I
don't expect anyone will call ungrammatical:
"We fall, trees."
(If you want a concrete and painfully specific example of its use in
context, consider a kindergarten play about ecology. Several kids (and
one teacher) are wearing tree costumes. A couple of other kids
carrying cardboard chainsaws come up and slash at them. The tree-kids
just stand there for a moment. The teacher whispers the phrase and
drops to the floor, prompting the rest to fall as well.)
-- ghunchu'wI'