Let's create a word: pseudo-paralysis/situational paralysis

25 views
Skip to first unread message

la .gusek.

unread,
Nov 24, 2014, 9:46:40 AM11/24/14
to loj...@googlegroups.com
Okay, so here's a conundrum to think about again!

I created the word narslutroka'e (na sluji jitro kakne) this Saturday since, to my surprise, paralysation wasn't defined before (also I got inspired by Wuzzy's creation of a line of related words: blind, deaf, anosmia, ageusia etc.):
narslutroka'e: x1=k1=j1 is unable to move/paralyzed in body-part x2=k2=j2=s2, under conditions x3=k3=j3
notes: Transient or permanent (but not pseudo-)paralysis (see sipyjitri'ufri for sleep paralysis). Cf. narte'ugaska'e, narviska'e, nartinka'e, narvu'igaska'e, narsumnyka'e, narka'e.

Pseudo-paralysis is related but in truth another phenomenon, namely not an inability to move but a volitional inhibition of motion. To quote Wikipedia:
Pseudoparalysis (pseudo- meaning "false, not genuine", from Greek ψεῦδος[6]) is voluntary restriction or inhibition of motion because of pain, incoordination, orgasm, or other cause, and is not due to actual muscular paralysis. In an infant, it may be a symptom of congenital syphilis.

I was going to ignore it for now, until I checked Tatoeba and realized something that should have been obvious to me:
http://tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/search?query=paralyzed&from=eng&to=und

There's a lot of sentences of the sort "paralyzed by fear", "paralyzed with amazement", "paralyzed upon seeing" etc. (and metaphorical constructs like "flood paralyzed local transportation"). These are maybe not "pure" variants of "pseudo-paralysis" but still related to the concept more than ordinary (non-pseudo) paralysation.

Since kakne denotes an innate capability, it doesn't really seem right to use narslutroka'e for translations of situations where fear paralyzes someone or where pain makes someone inhibit their own movement (for metaphorical constructs it doesn't matter as much, just append a pe'a). Also of course, the problem isn't a true lack of muscle-control but an unwillingness/strong emotional hinder/forgetfulness to do so.

So would you create a word for these usages, and how would you go with it?

Jorge Llambías

unread,
Nov 24, 2014, 10:54:56 AM11/24/14
to loj...@googlegroups.com
On Mon, Nov 24, 2014 at 11:46 AM, la .gusek. <gunnar...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Since kakne denotes an innate capability,

"kakne" is for general capability, not necessarily innate. You can use "se jinzi be lo ka kakne" for "innately capable of", or just more generally "se jinzi" not just for capabilities but for any innate property.
 
it doesn't really seem right to use narslutroka'e for translations of situations where fear paralyzes someone or where pain makes someone inhibit their own movement (for metaphorical constructs it doesn't matter as much, just append a pe'a). Also of course, the problem isn't a true lack of muscle-control but an unwillingness/strong emotional hinder/forgetfulness to do so.

So would you create a word for these usages, and how would you go with it?

Perhaps you could distinguish "slutronarka'e" from "slutrofli". 

And "cadgau" for a more general sense of "immobilize", "se cadgau" for "immobilized by"?

mu'o mi'e xorxes
 
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages