Topic: Catspeak: What Trilling Means
Anonymous A started this discussion 13 years ago #27,158
I've decided that cats use trilling as a way to acknowledge contrafactuaity; i.e., that something is NOT the case. Used with other cat expressions such as a rising inflection, trilling can imply a subjunctive mood. An un-inflected trill recognizes something out of the ordinary, even mildy surprising.
Cats are very here-and-now. Catspeak doesn't have a real subjunctive mood, but occasionally the need for a "constructive subjunctive" arises. A trill with a rising inflection means I would like ... some food, some attention, etc. The trill itself points up the lack of food, attention, etc., and the rising inflection turns it into a question. When cats trill as they hop up into bed with you, the meaning is ambiguous. It could mean I would like some attention; or it could mean would you like my company in bed? Either way, the cat is making a contrafactual observation: I have not been here till now, but here I am.
From time to time, my Otis comments on some irregularity in my behavior, such as when I get up in the middle of the night. Then he meows loudly in declarative mood. When I challenge him with my expression, he goes into subjunctive mood, as if to say: Just sayin' . . .
Cats are very here-and-now. Catspeak doesn't have a real subjunctive mood, but occasionally the need for a "constructive subjunctive" arises. A trill with a rising inflection means I would like ... some food, some attention, etc. The trill itself points up the lack of food, attention, etc., and the rising inflection turns it into a question. When cats trill as they hop up into bed with you, the meaning is ambiguous. It could mean I would like some attention; or it could mean would you like my company in bed? Either way, the cat is making a contrafactual observation: I have not been here till now, but here I am.
From time to time, my Otis comments on some irregularity in my behavior, such as when I get up in the middle of the night. Then he meows loudly in declarative mood. When I challenge him with my expression, he goes into subjunctive mood, as if to say: Just sayin' . . .
Anonymous B joined in and replied with this 13 years ago, 2 hours later[^] [v] #407,187
you are now subscribed to cat facts
TTEH !JXsxEkDBLs joined in and replied with this 13 years ago, 16 hours later, 18 hours after the original post[^] [v] #407,324
> contrafactuaity
what
what
Anonymous D joined in and replied with this 13 years ago, 55 minutes later, 19 hours after the original post[^] [v] #407,345
@OPhttp://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.democraticunderground.com%2Fdiscuss%2Fduboard.php%3Faz%3Dview_all%26address%3D105x6640697&ei=IENjUdPoBY6Y0QW7yYCYCA&usg=AFQjCNF3z2NVtIIg9EjNBrP-rwIyFCEhbw
I herewith return your bullshit.
(Edited 1 minute later.)