From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Tue Sep 22 1998 - 17:33:22 EDT
On Tue 22 Sep 98 (19:38:18 +0800), scox@mail.sparkice.com.cn wrote:
> It would be nice if Greek could magically solve all problems but
> somehow I don't think you will find the answer to this issue in
> grammar. Yes, in some languages such as Polish (e.g. in the
> masculine accusative plural if memory still serves) there is a
> grammatical distinction beyond gender that can distinguish
> between "animate" and "inanimate" nouns. But in Greek? Is there
> any "animate" and "inanimate" distinction, or any other way to prove
> "personality" by any grammatical means?? (open question)
Dear Steven,
In Russian, the Accusative of *animate* nouns is always the same as the
Genitive. The pure Accusative case is only used for *inanimate objects*,
never for animals or people IIRC.
I imagine that Polish, as another Slavonic language, would have something
similar.
Ben
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