Pre-Basque Phonology

[Eduard Selleslagh]

-----Original Message-----
From: Roslyn M. Frank <roz-frank at uiowa.edu>
Date: Wednesday, October 06, 1999 8:02 PM

[snip]
>>Basque <maite>, in its definite form <maitea>, is of course a common way
>>of addressing a sweetheart of either sex.  It is literally `(my)
>>beloved', even though it is functionally roughly equivalent to English
>>`love' here.

>Let us agree to disagree about which form is the common used as a form of
>address, one with a "definite article" or one without. Clearly we have have
>different views about this situation as was demonstrated in the case of our
>earlier discussion on whether <beltz> was a proper nickname for a bear,
>rather than <beltza>. From your previous comments, you do not wish to
>concede that in such circumstance the <mugagabe> unsuffixed form is often
>used.

[ moderator snip ]

>If, on the other hand, one writes a letter, there is clearly the option of
>using the "definite article" along with their "nickname" when "addressing"
>the person.

>Then there are many examples of the numens who populate Basque folklore and
>mythology. The (nick)names of many of these beings, e.g., Praka Gorri "Red
>Pants", appear without the definite article. However, I might refer to this
>same character, when writing in Euskera, in a given sentence as Praka
>Gorria. But when I do, I've changed the status of his (nick)name to
>something like "The One with Red Pants." It can be done, the "definite
>article" can be added, but when it is the name takes on a different nuance
>of meaning.

[ moderator snip ]

[Ed Selleslagh]

Note that similar, but not always identical, usages exist in various European
languages like regional colloquial Peninsular Spanish ('la Maruja'), regional
colloquial Dutch ('de Jan'), German ('der Otto') etc. The definite article is
only used when speaking ABOUT the person, not TO him/her.

Ed.