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Verb-Only Languages
https://archive.holyworlds.org/viewtopic.php?f=244&t=3076		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Andrew Amnon Mimetes [ May 5th, 2011, 6:38 am ]
Post subject:  Verb-Only Languages
I guess this isn't so much of a topic about these but a wondering if anyone had these. I read about verb-only languages in an article and they have intrigued me ever since. The example I remember was the following.

The vine climbed up the wall

Growing greening climbing unmoving.

OK, maybe that wasn't the example :? But basically, a verb-only language replaces adjectives with verbs. Sometimes they replace the noun as well, if it is possible. (I think)

I can't remember a lot about them. :P But I do have one where adjectives are verbs in the 'ing' form. It's not a true verb-only language though, as they do use other adjectives sometimes. Shibaar in my world subforum if you're interested, though. :D

eru
Author:  Whythawye [ May 5th, 2011, 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
I've heard of those too. If you study Webster's thesis on language, you will find that all words come from verb roots. And so if you look at it that way, you could theoretically have a language composed completely of verbs.
Author:  Neil of Erk [ May 5th, 2011, 11:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
Technically, the distinction between verbs and nouns is an artificial distinction...it largely exists in our heads.

For example, in Quechua, verbs and nouns have the same roots, but they are simply conjugated (or cased) differently. I'm not sure that native Quechua speakers actually distinguish between verbs and nouns at all.

Really, verbs can function as subjects and objects and therefore eliminate the need for verbs...but whenever a verb functions a subject or object, the native speakers probably distinguish between it and the "verb" in the sentence. So, ultimately, a verb-only language is kind of an illusion designed to trick speakers of Indo-European languages.
Author:  Andrew Amnon Mimetes [ May 6th, 2011, 12:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
Hmmm...very interesting. I might delve into this a little deeper as I further develop the language of the Shibaar this summer.

eru
Author:  Reiyen [ May 18th, 2011, 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
If I recall rightly, the language of the Ents of LOTR is verb-only.
*a few minutes later*
but try as I might I can't find the example for which I searched. Methinks their names were stories, always growing longer and changing... hmmm. Can't find the place...
Mayhaps Sir Emeth recalls this better than I, or another of the LOTR people.
Author:  Whythawye [ May 18th, 2011, 1:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
I wouldn't call it verb only... their names were stories, yes, but they contained a huge load of nouns and adjectives.
Author:  Neil of Erk [ May 18th, 2011, 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
Well, the Ents spoke a poly-synthetic language. That is the kind of language where the verb phrase subsumes the noun phrase, forming one long word. I believe that pre-positions and post-positions also formed a word.
Author:  Ciela Rose [ June 2nd, 2011, 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
Interesting idea.
Would this sort of language be limited in what it could convey, or do you think it has possibilities to be more expressive? (This would be great for an extremely active culture, one where everyone's moving, doing, working. That would be very cool :D)
Author:  Sam Starrett [ June 3rd, 2011, 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Verb-Only Languages
I think the idea of a language with only verbs, in the strict syntatic sense, is probably unworkable. Any time you have a subject, it's either a noun or a pronoun, even if it comes from a verb. In eru's initial example, for instance, "Growing greening climbing unmoving", "growing" is an adjective and "greening" is probably a noun. You could, however, have a language where most of the roots had a basically verbal significance.
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