Author Topic: I need an explanation  (Read 4769 times)

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rBull

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I need an explanation
« on: June 09, 2015, 10:25:54 am »
If you build the accusative of an inanimate noun, which ends on consonant + consonant + vowel, you short it to just the first consonant.
But for the word "alegra" that would mean you short it to "aleg"; but words can't end on "g" so you add an "e", which means it would become "alege". The tutorial, that I've watched (sunquan's tutorial), said it would be "alegre".

Can someone explain to me, where that "r" is coming from? I don't get that.

Thanks ;)

Qvaak

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Re: I need an explanation
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2015, 02:32:54 pm »
I'm pretty damn sure, that the answer is very simple:
Quote
If you build the accusative of an inanimate noun, which ends on consonant + consonant + vowel, you short it to just the first consonant.
Isn't true. CCV ending inanimate nouns have typically an accusative with just vowel stripped off, so CC. Sometimes -e is added because certain CC does not fit into a word ending syllable coda. Sometimes -e is added for more vague reasons, but that's kinda another discussion.

There might be some irregular noun that is shorted to just the first consonant, but that is the exeption, not the rule. Where did you get this rule from? I checked the wiki (which is generally not error-free, since it's maintained in part by sloppy people like me) and Peterson's book (which should be the most definite source) and neither of them seem to have anything strange here.
Game of Thrones is not The Song of Ice and Fire, sweetling. You'll learn that one day to your sorrow.

rBull

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Re: I need an explanation
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2015, 05:35:27 am »
I got this rule from sunquans Lesson about inanimate nouns...So, that rule is incorrect?


Hrakkar

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Re: I need an explanation
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2015, 02:01:01 pm »
Although Sunquan does an amazing job with his videos, it is certainly possible he made an error. Plus, as Qvaak points out, there is some ambiguity in how words get truncated to create inflected forms. The epenthetic /e/ is not entirely irregular. A large number of cases where it is added are covered by a rule on (I think) page 56 of David's book (this needs to be added to the wiki, but I haven't had time lately), but even that isn't entirely certain. If unsure, check the wiki. All known irregular stems are given there, and this will be coming soon to the dictionary, as well. This /e/, in most cases, doesn't hurt things. If you think it needs to be there, it usually doesn't hurt to use it. Although development on Dothraki has slowed a lot, it hasn't stopped, and we try and keep everything here as up to date as we can.
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Qvaak

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Re: I need an explanation
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2015, 08:10:23 am »
Ya. I feel Sunquan likes to keep their tutorials fairly compact, and in doing so both accidentally and maybe even intentionally brushes under a rug some irregularities, uncertainities and corner cases. A lot of geminated word endings actually go CCV -> C, like jedda -> jed, I actually can't quickly find a known counter-example.
Game of Thrones is not The Song of Ice and Fire, sweetling. You'll learn that one day to your sorrow.