Re: The Breathanach page revised

[Geoff Eddy <geoff@morven.compulink.co.uk>]

Padraic,

You wrote:

> I've had a chance to look at the most recent revision to the Breathanach
> page, and especially at the recently added LN text.  Do I have it right in
> seeing the main difference between LF and LN as LN haveing the verb in
> final position?

There aren't yet many significant differences between the two forms,
largely because I haven't had much time to think about them. The
difference in word-order was intended to parallel the Classical Latin
preference for SOV in contrast to the modern Romance for SVO.

> There also appear to be some functional word differences
> and inflectional differences;  but I didn't detect any vocabulary or
> spelling differences.  One would think that the more formal language would
> be full of "higher level"  synonyms at least.

LN prefers the terse "Latinate" use of inflections and synthetic forms,
while LF goes more for analytic constructions. This is for the same
reasons as above.

As for spelling, the only significant difference at present is the LF
tendency to drop medial fricatives and lengthen the preceding vowel.
You're quite right about vocabulary differences, but I haven't yet had
the courage to investigate them... although I am open to suggestions.
Vocabulary is always the hardest part, even with a ready-made parent
langauge, and my knowledge of Latin isn't much beyond the theoretical
(i.e. what I get from my grammar books).

Regards,

Geoff
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