Return-Path: <cbmvax!uunet!dragon.ulowell.edu!gryphon>
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 91 13:43:42 -0400
From: cbmvax!uunet!dragon.ulowell.edu!gryphon (Coranth)
Message-Id: <9108121743.AA17729@dragon.cpe.ulowell.edu>
To: lojban-list@snark.thyrsus.com
Subject: "could you please..."
Status: RO
X-From-Space-Date: Mon Aug 12 15:35:45 1991
X-From-Space-Address: cbmvax!uunet!dragon.ulowell.edu!gryphon

Reply-To: gryphon@dino.cpe.ulowell.edu

coi. rodo.

"The lojban translation of 'Do you know what time it is' would be:"

xu do djuno le cabna tcika

"literal= 'is-it-true-that you know that-which-I-describe-as now time ?'
where as a request for the current time would be: "

ma tcika le cabna

"literal = '<blank> is-the-time of day that-which-I-describe-as now'

Very different questions. And different again from
'Please tell me what time it is.' translated as: "

pe'u ko skicu le cabna tcika mi

"literal = please, you (imper.) tell-about the now time to me.

which is what the euphamism 'could you tell me what time it is' really
means.

One of the reasons that I love lojban is that it clearly distiguishes the
three different type of questions/requests which ARE so hopelessly muddled
in English.

"
lemi re fepni se vamji

co'o. rodo.

				mi'e korant.