Re: a grammar sketch...

> From: H. S. Teoh
>
> On Fri, Sep 29, 2000 at 02:11:46PM -0400, Yoon Ha Lee wrote:
> [snip]
> > 4 cases:
> > actor: that which is responsible for what happens
> > actee: that which is affected by what happens
> > accomplice: that which helps accomplish what happens
> > action: that which happens
> >
> > I suspect there are more standard names I should be using, because this
> > is looking like another active case system.  These are shown by
> inflection.
>
> That sounds like an active system, all right. But my knowledge of active
> languages comes only from cursory discussions of it in some of the recent
> threads on my conlang, so don't take my word for it :-)
Seems like active systems are favorites among the current crop of new
conlangs.  I remember not so long ago that ergative systems were the
preferred conlang alternative to typical IE nom/acc.  I wonder what will be
our next darling.  Maybe we'll have so many active and ergative conlangs
that nom/acc will become a welcome change of pace? ;-)

David