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Date:         Thu, 22 Sep 1994 14:59:20 EDT
Reply-To:     jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU
Sender:       Lojban list <LOJBAN%CUVMB.bitnet@FINHUTC.hut.fi>
From:         Jorge Llambias <jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: mi nitcu lo tanxe
X-To:         lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu
To:           Veijo Vilva <veion@XIRON.PC.HELSINKI.FI>
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> coi doi ki'e roda poi danfu be fi mi

coi doi ken
i pe'i do djica le nu ckire le danfu cusku enai le danfu

> .i a'o mi ba pilno la lojban

uisai
i mi jinvi le du'u le nu pilno cu traji xamgu tadji le nu cilre

> .i ui mi jungo bangu simsa tanru ke mutce nelci

i mi na mutce nelci
i cumki fa le nu tu'a do ba galfi le mi se jinvi

> .i mi tugni la djordj. ledu'u le smuni be <<lu mi nitcu lo tanxe li'u>>
>    cu frica le smuni be zoi gy. I need a box gy. (to .ijanai <<lu mi nitcu
>    lo tanxe li'u>> drani toi)

i zo djordj mi cmene ra'i la gliban
i zo xorxes mi cmene ra'i la sanban
i mi gento gi'e spano se bangu
i seki'ubo mi pilno zo xorxes

> .i mi je'a tugni so'e lo do se danfu (to xu? lenu mi cusku zo lo cu drani
>    toi)

i pe'i tu'a zo lo drani
i ku'i le nu do pilno zo danfu na'e drani
i zo danfu se smuni la'e <<zoi gy x1 is the answer/response/solution/
  [reply] to question/problem x2  gy>>


> .i mi preti pensi <<lu lo [unicorn] li'u>> noi smuni mintu <<lu
>    su'o lo ro [unicorn] li'u>>
> .i a'onai nandu mi fa lenu gerna pilno tavla fi la lojban la lojban

i go'ira'o
i ku'i pe'i xamgu

> .i mi pilno la gliban.

ie

> Looks like I ought to work on the tenses more... How do I say "still"
> as in "I'm still thinking about..."?

I have trouble with those, too. "Still", "already", "yet", and so on.
Sometimes people use logically connected tenses, but I don't like that
method very much. I prefer to be less precise than use those cumbersome
combinations.

I think {ca'o} is usually good for "still". In this case, I think it fits
well.

> And how do I say "whether" as in "I'm thinking about whether..."?

"whether" is usually {xukau} inside a {le du'u ...} clause.

        mi pensi le du'u xukau mi nelci loi javyseljirna
        I'm thinking about whether I like unicorns or not.

{kau} marks indirect questions. Other examples:

        mi djuno le du'u do klama makau
        I know where you are going.

        le du'u ca makau do klama cu vajni
        *When* do you go is important.

        mi do tugni le du'u makau smuni <<lu mi nitcu lo tanxe li'u>>
        I agree with you about what is the meaning of {mi nitcu lo tanxe}.


> What's the difference between frica and drata?

I'm not sure, but I suppose frica is stronger. One could imagine two
things that are "other" of each other, yet don't differ in anything?

> .i mi'e la ken.
> (to doi la'ogy. Lin Jer-Ming gy. e'o ko cusku toi)

i co'o mi'e xorxes