accusative and ergative languages

[Leo A. Connolly]

Sean Crist wrote:

> Somebody (I've lost track of who) wrote:

>>> Yes, but if a new verb were formed, e.g. webben (from English 'web'), there
>>> is no possibility that it would be conjugated webben, wabb, gewobben.

> This sort of thing actually _does_ happen sometimes; it just isn't that
> common.  The English verb "strive" is a loan from Old French; but it is
> often declined as if it were an old Class I ablauting strong verb (strove,
> striven).  So I'd correct "no possibility" to "much less likely".

Well, maybe.  Trouble is, the word is of Germanic origin (cf. German
_streben_), so the strong inflexion *might* actually be original but
unattested in OE.

Leo