Re: Invention of the Alphabet

Lee Sau Dan wrote:
>
> >>>>> "Harlan" == Harlan Messinger <hmessinger.removethis@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
> Harlan> That's a misconception. Many words in Chinese consist of
> Harlan> multiple syllables/characters, such as Chong1guo2, the
> Harlan> name for China,
> >> Aren't Chong1 and guo2 themselves root-words?
>
> Harlan> Yes.
>
> Harlan> It's comparable to
> >> "United Kingdom". Two words used together to refer to
> >> something specific. Is "United Kingdom" one word? 2 words?
>
> Harlan> Which proves that not every pair of words in English
> Harlan> collapses into a single word. Which isn't saying much.
>
> If you consider "United Kingdom" to be "2 words NOT collapsed into a
> single word", then why would you consider "Zhong1 guo2" to be "2 words
> COLLAPSED into a single word"?
>
> You're so inconsistent, and mislead by the spacing.
>
> Harlan> or ci2dian3, a word for "dictionary",
> >> Isn't <ci2> a word? Isn't <dian3> a word? <ci2dian3> is just
> >> a compound. Comparable to English "word list". Is "word list"
> >> one word, or two?
>
> Harlan> Your English is good enough that your oversight of terms
> Harlan> like "vineyard", "cupboard", etc., must be intentional.
>
> You're simply evading to answer my question: Is "word list" one word?

I don't know "word list." "Wordlist" is one word.
--
Peter T. Daniels grammatim@xxxxxxx
.

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