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From: deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff)
Subject: Re: International Language.
Message-ID: <1995Jan11.013611.7219@midway.uchicago.edu>
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Reply-To: deb5@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
References: <JEROEN.95Jan9153410@rulil1> <1995Jan9.215743.1541@midway.uchicago.edu> <D26yA6.vD@actrix.gen.nz>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 01:36:11 GMT
Lines: 44
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu sci.lang.translation:596 sci.lang:34144

In article <D26yA6.vD@actrix.gen.nz> "Paul J. Kriha" <kriha_p@actrix.gen.nz> writes:
>deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff) wrote:
> 
>> If you know of a European language possessing specifically feminine
>> agent nouns *not* derived from the corresponding masculine forms,
>> please share.  If there are some, I'd like to know more about them.

[some exaples deleted]

>BUT, what about this one:
>
>  "kurva"    = a whore/harlot
>the only masculine agent equivalent is
>  "kurevnik" = a man who goes out with whores
>               (i.e. he is not a male whore)
>               (grammatically derived from "kurva")
>
>It looks as if there must have been "kurva" first 
>before there could have been a "kurevnik"  :-)

Keep in mind that not all nouns denoting the practitioner of 
a profession are agent nouns.  Agent nouns are derived from
verbs and denote the performer of the action described by the
verb.

Under this definition, "kurva" probably doesn't qualify (is there
a verb "kurvovat"?).  It belongs to the same class as z^ena and
dcera, i.e. non-agentative nouns denoting female persons.

A valiant effort though!  

>Have, I really found one?
>Would other languages have similar irregularities
>related to the oldest profession.  :-)

A lot do, at least in Western Europe, presumably because (the
Romans notwithstanding) female prostitution has always been 
more culturally accepted here than male prostitution.  


-- 
	 Daniel "Da" von Brighoff    /\          Dilettanten
	(deb5@midway.uchicago.edu)  /__\         erhebt Euch
				   /____\      gegen die Kunst!
