[Lexicog] Re: lexical entries as singulars or plurals

[Robert Hedinger]

Does this also reflect a preference for CV over V syllable patterns in the languages of Ivory Coast?

Robert
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Fritz Goerling 
  To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:15 PM
  Subject: RE: [Lexicog] Re: lexical entries as singulars or plurals


  Mon zami,

  I see alot of parallels with Ivorian French:

  Here are a few similarities and differences:

  un enfant - deux nanfans 
  un oncle  - deux noncles (one uncle - two nuncles)
  un zanimo - deux zanimos (one nanimal - two nanimals)
  les zafs = les affaires

  Greetings,
  Fritz


    Fritz --

    Sorry this is coming a bit late, but I thought you might be interested to know that the word for 'eye' in St. Lucia Creole is zyé, from les yeux. To specify singular, one would say zyé-a, with a postposed definite determiner, to say 'the eye.' If you look under z in our dictionary you will find a whole set of similar words, including

    zafè  'business'  [<Fr. les affaires]
    zanfan  'child'  [<Fr. les enfents]
    zannimo  'animal'  [<Fr. les animaux]
    zapòt  'apostle'  [<Fr. les apôtres]
    zé  'egg'  [<Fr. les oeufs]
    zéklè  'lightning'  [<Fr. les éclairs]
    zèl  'wing, fin'  [<Fr. les ailes]
    zépòl  'shoulder'  [<Fr. les épaules]
    etc.

    -- David
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