Date:         Wed, 21 May 1997 16:39:30 -0600
Reply-To:     mark.vines@wholefoods.com
Sender:       Lojban list <LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET>
From:         Mark Vines <vinesm@WHOLEFOODS.COM>
Subject:      Caretaker Phrases:  Kissing Game
To:           Multiple recipients of list LOJBAN <LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET>
Message-ID: <864250842.103068.0@vms.dc.lsoft.com>
Content-Length: 2863
Lines: 81


coidoi lobypli

I have been trying to translate into Lojban some of the
English-language "Caretaker Phrases" that I've heard people
use when they / we talk to our baby daughter Erin.  I have
the notion that a list of such phrases might be useful for
anyone interested in teaching Lojban to young children ...
especially if others will contribute to the list, so it
won't be limited to the caretaker phrases from a single
household.  I would appreciate any comments, criticisms or
suggestions on how to improve &or expand my list of phrases
used in caretaker speech.

Most of the phrases I've collected can be assigned to one
of several game-like interactions between caretaker &
child.  One of these is the interaction which I call the
"Kissing Game".  In this interaction, the caretaker warns
the baby that the caretaker is about to kiss the baby -
often specifying the part of the baby's body that the
caretaker will kiss - & repeats the warning.  Then the
caretaker kisses the baby, often exaggerating the sound of
the kiss.  Then the caretaker describes what has just
happened - again, often specifying the part of the baby's
body that the caretaker has kissed - & repeats the
description.

Here are my tentative translations of Kissing Game
Caretaker Phrases into Lojban:

KG01  I'm gonna kiss you!
        mi bu cinba do
      I'm gonna kiss you!
        mi bu cinba do

KG02  I kissed you!
        mi pa cinba do
      I kissed you!
        mi pa cinba do

KG03  I'm gonna kiss your face!
        mi bu cinba do le flira
      I'm gonna kiss your face!
        mi bu cinba do le flira

KG04  I kissed your face!
        mi pa cinba do le flira
      I kissed your face!
        mi pa cinba do le flira

Of course, KG03-KG04 may be modified so as to specify an
x3 (locus of kissing) other than the face:

   brow = mebri
  cheek = firmla (zunle, pritu)
   nose = nazbi
   lips = ctebi
   hand = xance (zunle, pritu)
 finger = xandegji
    arm = birka (zunle, pritu)
  chest = cutne
  belly = betfu
    leg = tuple (zunle, pritu)
   foot = jamfu (zunle, pritu)
    toe = jmadegji

IMO, the Kissing Game may help children to learn how
temporal / tense / sequential relations are represented
in the language (or languages) that they are learning.
Obviously, children also have opportunities to learn about
body-part names from the Kissing Game interaction.

Accordingly, I have emphasized simple tense markers (bu,
pa) & body-part names in my translations.

co'omi'e markl.