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Re: [saweli] NSM and other questions: small vs. big



In a message dated 4/10/2009 09:00:51 Eastern Daylight Time, veoler@hidden.email writes:


MorphemeAddict wrote:
>> big = vubek.
>> small = vo'amik, vo'amlok, vu'abek.
>
> So "small" is hypernymous to the opposite of "big" in NSM?
>
> I don't understand your question.  Could you rephrase it?
> Saweli has several words that translate to "small" (or "little") in English.
>  The pair "vubek/vu'abek" seems closest to the NSM to me.

Well, since you put vo'amik, vo'amlok, and vu'abek as translations of
"small", but only vubek as "big", and not vomik and vomlok, which
parallel your translations of "small".


vomik = extensive, sizable, vast, large, big, considerable [in area].
vomlok = capacious, voluminous, roomy, commodious, spacious [in volume].
vubek = big, large, having great size.

So BIG = vubek, and SMALL = vu'abek.

stevo