Message-Id: <m0qru2b-00005XC@xiron.pc.helsinki.fi>
Date:         Mon, 3 Oct 1994 16:08:13 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: TECH: query re. "specific zohe"
To:           Veijo Vilva <veion@XIRON.PC.HELSINKI.FI>
Content-Length: 1488
Lines: 60

> > > > > "I have something" is "mi zohe ponse".
> > > > > But how does one say "I have it"?
> > > >
> > > > xu mi ko'a ponse
> > >
> > > I don't know whether you have it. Do you have what?
> >
> > i li'a le danfu be le do preti
> >
> > i i'a lu mi ko'a ponse li'u xu
>
> First you ask "Do I have it?"
> Then you say this answers my question.
> Then you ask "Clearly, 'Do I have it'?" which makes no sense to me
> at all.

Let me try to explain, but it's going to be painful.
You say:
> > > > > "I have something" is "mi zohe ponse".
> > > > > But how does one say "I have it"?

I want to respond: << "mi ko'a ponse", perhaps? >>

But instead, I mistakenly say something else:

> > > > xu mi ko'a ponse

To which you ask:

> > > I don't know whether you have it. Do you have what?

I thought you realized that by making this question you were answering
your previous one, because clearly you took ko'a to be the specific zo'e.

Still, your question was valid. What is it that I have?
So I answer:

> > i li'a le danfu be le do preti

"The answer to your question, of course!"

Then I try to make things right:

> > i i'a lu mi ko'a ponse li'u xu

    Ok, "mi ko'a ponse"?

This is what I should have answered the first time. The i'a was
an acceptance of what I supposed to be your complaint that I hadn't
answered properly.

> Were you trying to say that "koha" is the 'specific zohe'?

Yes, but why should I say it directly when it can be made so much
more complicated?
>
> And
>

Jorge