[YG Conlang Archives] > [ceqli group] > messages [Date Index] [Thread Index] >
Hello, I just joined this list yesterday. I am developing a "systematic language" named Minyeva (http://minyeva.alkaline.org/). Since Ceqli is a logical language, it's solutions to problems could be enlightening to problems in my own language. I read the two chapters of the Ceqli grammar on the website. I had a question about the articles. Only the definite article "to" is explicit; the indefinite article is implicit. I was wondering what the exact meaning of "to" was: does it just refer to something previously mentioned, or does it have some of the other meanings of the English "the", like "the only one" or "a generic instance of"? A while back on the conlang list I compiled a list of meanings for "the" and "a". It might be useful for you to have this list if you're intending on defining articles precisely for Ceqli. note: i didn't use meanings of 'the' or 'a' that i found weren't an "article" usage. I provided a lot of examples because some of these are pretty subtle. T* = the, A* = a/an, N* = [none] THE: TA. a certain one being spoken of/already mentioned (introduced by AA). -The story ended. -So then I smacked the guy. TB. hypothetical instance of (introduced by AB). -I want a girlfriend. The girl has to be cute. -I need some paint. The paint is going to be used here. TC. the one and only (geographic/environmental/locational) -The sun is very hot today. (both occurances here) -The sky is bright today. -The world is falling apart. -I don't like the weather. -He came to us from the north. -I walked to the edge and contemplated jumping. (the edge of a cliff) -Let's meet at the entrance. -Where is the bathroom? TD. the one identified by/as (the modifier of the noun) -the man who answered (as opposed to the one who ignored his phone) -the hit of the week (as opposed to the hit of the year) -the right to strike (as opposed to the right to remain silent) -You can be the father in our play. -The purple people eater is here to get us! -What is the point of your story? -The coffee in my cup is hot. -Which one was the movie that you hate? -We take the air we breathe for granted. TE. an integral part or clothing of the obvious entity (possessives can also be used for these in english) -I smacked him in the face. -Take me by the hand. -You should hold your mug by the handle. -The surface is extremely hot, don't touch it. -I held him by the collar. TF. that which is present/close, as opposed to remote -The day has just started (as opposed to the next day) -Where has the year gone? TG. the one designated/named. related to NC. -the President (of the u.s.) -the Mississippi (river) -the United States TH. the one considered the best, most fashionable (usually emphasized) -That is *the* restaurant in town. TI. specified period of time -the dark ages -the seventies TJ. taken as a representative of the entire genus or type -I'm learning how to use the typewriter. -The cow is a domestic animal. TK. for an adjective used as a noun -the good, the beautiful, the true A/AN,SOME: AA. a certain one speaker has in mind. -I saw a burning house on the way to the store. -He has a nice car/some nice cars. -I'm going to marry a Swede. (in response to: what is the nationality of your fiancee?) AB. any one of them in existence -I need a girlfriend. -I'm going to marry a Swede. (in response to: In twenty years, what type of person will you marry?) -I need some paint. AC. in copulas, equality -I am a doctor. -That is a harmless snake. -As a young girl she slacked off in school. [NONE]: NA: a discrete amount of (for a non-count noun). (the word "some" can always be used before the noun). -I need water. -We need rocks for this project. NB: generalizations, applying to all the members of a type of object/concept. -Gold is very valuable. -Guns are dangerous. -I really don't like stupid dogs. -He lacks intelligence. -Anger is a destructive emotion. -We really hate school. NC: proper nouns. related to TG. -Let's run away to Mexico. -Where is Main Street? -I don't speak Greek. whew, what a list. Here is how i organize them in Minyeva: 1 = AA,AC: "da" = used for introducing a particular entity in mind 2 = TA,TB: "te" = referring back to an introduced entity 3 = TJ,TK,AB,NA,NB: "ki" or null = generic members/representative members 4 = TC,TD,TE,TI: "sao" = the one identified as, the only one 5 = NC,TG: "cai" = used for names 6 = TF: "kre" (this) = demonstrative used here. 7 = TH: syntactic construction: the most ~. -- Garrett Jones http://www.alkaline.org