Re: Keeping Track of Ambiguity in your Conlang?

Thomas R. Wier sikyal:

> > of course, english has the wonderful pairing 'cleave'
> > and 'cleave'
> >
> > one means 'to cling to, be firmly attached to'
> > the other means 'to split, divide'
>
> In my experience these 'two' words are in fact never
> used in opposition to one another.  People either use
> one or the other, but not both.  This would make it
> like the difference between American 'to table'
> (to remove from consideration) and British 'to table'
> (to put into consideration)
While neither of these words is part of my everyday active vocabulary, I
recognize both and would use either if the register demanded it.  I do,
however, think that the meaning "split" is primary for my idiolect.

>
> > ( another pairing i've seen mentioned is 'dust'
> > meaning to rid of dust and 'dust' meaning to sprinkle
> > with dust, but at least these come from the same root )
>
> I do think this is used by everyone, although the first
> meaning is probably the more common one.
>
> ==========================================================================
> Thomas Wier
> Dept. of Linguistics  "Nihil magis praestandum est quam ne pecorum ritu
> University of Chicago sequamur antecedentium gregem, pergentes non qua
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>
Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/

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