Search found 16 matches

by sarcasmo
Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:35 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Sources of "because"
Replies: 68
Views: 13221

Re: Sources of "because"

Terra wrote: What is the difference between the THOUGHT and LOT vowels? Is THOUGHT the same vowel as CAUGHT?
LOT, for me, is [ɑ] and THOUGHT is [ɔ]. CAUGHT is not a lexical set, as far as I know. The lexical set for that vowel is called THOUGHT.
by sarcasmo
Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:55 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: The Innovative Usage Thread
Replies: 2452
Views: 486312

Re: The Innovative Usage Thread

"Sneak" is a fairly standard example of one of those words where lots of people are uncomfortable over which past participial form is the "correct" one ("snuck"? "sneaked"? neither?). Today I realized that for me, while "snuck" is fine with the past perfect, it's not possible with the present perfe...
by sarcasmo
Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:57 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: The "How do You Pronounce X" Thread
Replies: 3108
Views: 766053

Re: The "How do You Pronounce X" Thread

what's with all you people who say you have [ɨ]... in English ? Umm, that's the schwi , a near-close unrounded central vowel, which exists in English dialects that have two or three centralized, reduced vowels (i.e. most). Marking it as [ɨ] is simply marking it as what it is Exactly. To me, [ɪ] sou...
by sarcasmo
Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:03 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Words you love because of their sounds
Replies: 285
Views: 43681

Re: Words you love because of their sounds

Darkgamma wrote:How do you pronounce <elasticity>, <ergonomics> and <Skyrim> ?
[ˌɪlɜsˈtɨsɨɾɪ]
[ˌəɹgoʊ'nɐmɨks]
[ˈskaɪɹɨm]
by sarcasmo
Sun Jan 01, 2012 8:32 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: French attitude to regional languages
Replies: 59
Views: 10211

Re: French attitude to regional languages

Don't phrase it in those terms. We should at least give the castillians a fighting chance - and most popular club in the world versus most hated club? Not fair. Really? There's a more hated club out there than Man U? Agreed. I think Man U have so many fans that they are the most hated club, solely ...
by sarcasmo
Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:15 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Words you love because of their sounds
Replies: 285
Views: 43681

Re: Words you love because of their sounds

Italian: anything with initial [zv] or [zb], especially svegliarsi (to wake up) and sbagliarsi (to make a mistake) pomodoro (tomato) dimmi (tell me!) aiutare (to help) arrabbiata (angry) French: most anything ending in -elle, especially -chelle équipe (team) possible [posi:b] répareras (will repair)...
by sarcasmo
Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:12 am
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: The Innovative Usage Thread
Replies: 2452
Views: 486312

Re: The Innovative Usage Thread

Not sure if this qualifies as innovative or not, but yesterday I heard "cleant" as a past tense form of clean. The speaker used pretty much all of the features common to AAVE, including dropping the have/has in past tense constructions, so I couldn't tell if the form intended was "I cleant" or "I ha...
by sarcasmo
Fri May 27, 2011 10:54 am
Forum: None of the above
Topic: Creativity of the day
Replies: 1704
Views: 379322

Re: Creativity of the day

This is a short story I wrote called "You've probably never heard of it" with some edits by my creative writing teacher. He took out some of my favorite parts but I don't have access to the original. ------------------------------------ Inside The Record Palace, Jordan Owens glanced at his watch. He...
by sarcasmo
Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:02 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Words and expressions you overuse
Replies: 46
Views: 8811

Re: Words and expressions you overuse

Magb wrote:I probably overuse the semicolon too, but it's not my fault that it's the best punctuation mark.

This. It has such flair; such panache; such ingenious daring; I love it!
by sarcasmo
Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:07 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Old French Grammar?
Replies: 13
Views: 3409

Re: Old French Grammar?

On a side note, I know there is a website for exactly this purpose but I can't remember what it's called or find it on google. It has a side-bar on the left of a ton of different languages, and clicking on each language yields a list of books in/about the given language. Also, some of the top bar o...
by sarcasmo
Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:55 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Old French Grammar?
Replies: 13
Views: 3409

Old French Grammar?

I would love to learn a little Old French (partly for background for a conlang I'm considering, and partly because I think it sounds good). Does anyone have a link to a pdf about Old French Grammar? On a side note, I know there is a website for exactly this purpose but I can't remember what it's cal...
by sarcasmo
Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:46 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Tritransitivity?
Replies: 30
Views: 11149

Re: Tritransitivity?

What I had in mind was naturally tritransitive verbs, but I suppose ditransitives with increased valency satisfy my curiousity just as well.

Side note: are these verbs common enough that it would benefit a conlang to have a specific benefactive inflection on pronouns?
by sarcasmo
Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:32 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Tritransitivity?
Replies: 30
Views: 11149

Re: Tritransitivity?

The basic VP in French could be said to have 4 specific slots. To have them all, you need a ditransitive verb, so we will use the verb "donner" (to give), though there are other verbs that accept all for slots. Here is a classical example : Je te le lui donne. Je donne pour toi* le cadeau à ton frè...
by sarcasmo
Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:55 pm
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Tritransitivity?
Replies: 30
Views: 11149

Tritransitivity?

In my studies of French, I came across the structure "to buy something (for someone)." (Je t'ai acheté un cadeau = I bought you a gift = I bought a gift for you.) French, and English, I think, treat this as an indirect object, IIRC. My question is, does any language, natural or constructed, permit a...
by sarcasmo
Fri Dec 31, 2010 5:12 pm
Forum: Conlangery & Conworlds
Topic: Lexicon Building
Replies: 4308
Views: 913218

Re: Lexicon Building

sano wrote:
Izo wrote:Next word: phobia
Kala:

kyopu - phobia / fear / fright

next word: nether
Infundi (bottom.ADJ)

Next word: unable to express oneself due to overwhelming anger
by sarcasmo
Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:15 am
Forum: Languages & Linguistics
Topic: Subjunctive
Replies: 48
Views: 9834

Re: Subjunctive

I was under the impression that "If I were you" was the imperfect, because the following clause is conditional.

I may be confusing this with French, though: "Si j'étais toi, je lui parlerais." :> "If I were you, I would talk to him."