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Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Grunts

Several words in a language are not much more than grunts. Sometimes they have residual meaning. Should one be careful with translating grunts? I haven't been. Although it is feasible to sweep up the corners a bit, it is of very limited value. One wonders, what are the parts of our language?

I am unconvinced with the 8 parts of speech. It seems to me both simpler and more complex. There are connectors, and connected bits. There is action represented and naming of things related by actions. The connectors: conjunctions, prepositions, particles, articles and other grunts, are often implied in the action words or required by them.

The actions and the named items are also in a continuum. It is quite possible to verb a noun or noun a verb. Time is represented by connectors, named items, and actions.

I was given a large tree and it unexpectedly flowered. The flower gives off a strong scent and its stem is sticky. Language is like that. Words stick to others depending on their placement in order in the expression of the tongue. We get it even when the words are out of sequence. Some tongues like Hebrew stick their bits together more than English. Last night I cut the flowers from the tree and stuck them in a dry vase in a large room. Enough smell.

Anyway, I sorted out the odd grunt. One day, maybe I will get a good book on linguistics.


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