Comprehensive Rule Application Flashcards

Language data: 'Palu shor vel.' = 'The cat chases the fish.' 'Shor palu vel.' = 'The fish chases the cat.' 'Melu shor vel.' = 'The bird chases the fish.' What does 'Shor melu vel.' mean?

Answer: The fish chases the bird.

First word = subject; 'shor' = fish, 'melu' = bird → 'The fish chases the bird.'

Observe the pattern: 'Nalu vel.' = 'The horse moves.' 'Nalu-s vel.' = 'The horses move.' 'Doru mak.' = 'The man sleeps.' What does 'Doru-s mak.' mean?

Answer: The men sleep.

'-s' suffix marks plural on noun: 'doru-s' = men, 'mak' = sleeps → 'The men sleep.'

Data set: 'Talu vel brak.' = 'The woman sees the stone.' 'Brak vel talu.' = 'The stone sees the woman.' 'Doru vel mako.' = 'The man sees the tree.' Which sentence means 'The tree sees the man'?

Answer: Mako vel doru.

Subject-Verb-Object: 'mako' (tree) as subject + vel + 'doru' (man) as object.

From Trevish data: 'Prenu nak-om.' = 'Fires fly.' 'Prenu nak.' = 'Fire flies.' 'Mako nak.' = 'Tree flies.' What does 'Mako nak-om.' mean?

Answer: Trees fly.

'-om' marks plural action; 'mako' = tree → 'Trees fly.'

Invented language: 'Vel-a mak.' = 'I sleep.' 'Vel-e mak.' = 'You sleep.' 'Vel-o mak.' = 'He/she sleeps.' What does 'Vel-a talo.' mean?

Answer: I sing.

'-a' = I (first person); 'talo' = sing → 'I sing.'

Data: 'Bren nak shor.' = 'Two birds fly.' 'Bren mak shor.' = 'Two birds sleep.' 'Tel nak doru.' = 'Three men fly.' What does 'Tel mak doru.' mean?

Answer: Three men sleep.

'Tel' = three, 'mak' = sleep, 'doru' = men → 'Three men sleep.'