Re: TECH: more on morphology problem - some opionions

[Nick Nicholas <nsn@MULLIAN.EE.MU.OZ.AU>]

The Seraphim surely rejoiced when Logical Language Group spoke thus:

(hey, all. I haven't been that vocal here recently; nor, in fact, have
most people. My excuse, at least, is that it's *that* time of the year
again *sigh*, and this year has been particularly flat out for me. Let's
see what I can get out, anyway).

}1) The type 3 borrowings that cause the problem are prevalent these days,
}and must continue to be easy to make.

Correct.

}2) le'avla/borrowing morphological space is sufficiently large and rich
}enough that, when we get to the point where people want to make them,
}type 4 (pure borrowings) le'avla have plenty of options, even if we add
}some constraints.

Correct. I'll agree on killing le'avla-initial consonant clusters as
proposed. And it's obvious to me that vowel diphthongs should be legal
in cmene and le'avla.

}1) that close-commas (forced syllable breaks) which are 'significant'
}would be banned from le'avla.  In other words, no two le'avla could differ
}merely by whether there is a close-comma forcing a syllable break at
}some point.

This has my full support. I think making some phonemic distinction in
syllabification, with all the vagaries already present in pronunciation
of glides etc., is just asking for trouble.

}2. A new phonological category of "permissible initial cluster" be defined,
}to apply to le'avla.  Clusters at the beginning of words would be required
}to  be such that all pairs of consonants within the cluster be permissible
}initial pairs, per the standard set already defined.

Yup.

}If vowel-initial borrowing roots had a suitable consonant preposed (and Nora
}suggests 'x' as the norm, as being an easily invisible sound, and not too
}hard after a liquid),

I've always used {n}, but {x} seems quite acceptable.

That old obsession of mine, finding a consistent morphological variant (not
to mention pronunciation, and yes, I'm thinking about Latin) to use for
borrowings from various languages, might deserve a mention. I do think
that skamrpartitione is a much preferable form to skamrpartiti, skamrpartitio,
or skamrpartici.

---
'Dera me xhama t"e larm"e,            T  Nick Nicholas, CgS & CS, Melbourne Uni
 Dera mbas blerimit                   |  nsn@munagin.ee.mu.oz.au (IRC: nicxjo)
 Me xhama t"e larm"e!                 |  Milaw ki ellhnika/Esperanto parolata/
 Lumtunia nuk ka ngjyra tjera.'       |  mi ka'e tavla bau la lojban. je'uru'e
 - Martin Camaj, _Nj"e Shp'i e Vetme_ |                *d'oh!*