Anniversay: final -t omission question

Hi, all! This is Erik/Narbleh from the old MSN forum. Apparently it’s using my nerdy conlang blog as my username 🙂

Header 176 on page 98 of the manual explains the exceptions to the omission of -t at the ends of some words, but not why these words need it.

It looks like -tent words get the -t, just not -dent ones. Is that always true?

The others, I can’t discern a pattern. The only ambiguity that I see being avoided is less/least… as for the rest, I’m not sure!

Thanks for your insight 🙂


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3 comments Add yours
  1. There are two reasons for the inclusion of t in those words:

    1. Most of them are monosyllables that would be easily confused: lost would become laws, east would become he is, fast – face, cast – case, vast – vase, least – less, dust – does, taste – it has, missed – miss, mixed – mix, post – possible, coast – cost, worst – worse.

    2. Words with -tent and -tant retain the t to distinguish it from -dent, -dant. A good way to remember is that since -tent and -tant start with t, put the t at the end to match.

    Hope this helps.

    1. Hi, Carlos!

      So it seems like it would almost be better to learn the one-syllable -st words where it IS omitted as briefs. There seem to be fewer of them: best, rest, west, test, past, last, just, cost.

      At least it seems to be the case in my Simplified dictionary. I see final -T on words like lust, crust, bust… The Anni dictionary doesn't list simple -st words.

      Could this be another example of where the manual is really making it harder than it needs to be? 😛 I've noticed a few times where a list of forms is given as examples without stating the underlying rule.

      Thank you! 🙂

    2. Indeed. Just learn those that are omitted. The Simplified and Anniversary rules with respect to -st are exactly the same. You also need to look in the 5000 Most Used Forms book.

      Be aware that the t in the superlative -est and in the -ist suffix is omitted. In fact, I believe that the t in words that end in -est and -ist is omitted. Words with endings -ast, -ost, and -ust have to be memorized.

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