Lemizh / English dictionary

swnàt.

to make someone-dat believe in something-acc;
dat, perfect or not topicalised: to believe someone-nom something-acc, to believe in something-acc (see unit 13, Verbs of certainty)

Usage notes

Belief is connotated somewhat negatively; the Lemizh have always preferred thinking to believing. For example, we usually don’t say ‘I believe it will rain tomorrow’ in Lemizh but ‘I think (qàzg.) it will rain tomorrow’; or ‘I consider it evident (khìlv.) it will rain tomorrow’ if there actually is evidence.

Etymology

< NLem, LMLem, MLem swent‑a
< OLem swent‑ ‘make believe’
< PLem *swent‑ ‘put oneself in front > make believe’, Narten present of
< PIE *su̯e‑dʰh₁‑ ‘place oneself’, compound of
  PIE *su̯e ‘self’
 —and—
  PIE *dʰeh₁‑ ‘put, make’

Cognates

Gk ἔθος ‘habit, custom, disposition’, Ved svádhā ‘habit, custom’