[lojban-beginners] Re: zo .e'e

["Jorge Llambías" <jjllambias@gmail.com>]

On 1/7/08, Penguino <spheniscine@gmail.com> wrote:
> How about "Have John go to the market"?
>
> On Jan 8, 2008 6:44 AM, Jorge Llambías <jjllambias@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I undestand "e'i", in the light of the e-series roughly corresponding
> > to the imperative mood, as imposing an obligation:
> >
> >  e'i la djan klama le zarci
> >  Let John go to the market.
> >
> > (Not "let" in the sense of "allow", but English is not very good with
> third
> > person imperatives.)

Something like that, yes. I can't really judge to what extent the
surface second person form of the English gets in the way though.
There is no implication in the Lojban that the hearer has to do
anything.

Conversely, for the volitive mood English does have a third person
form, as in:

  Long live the Queen.
  May the best man win.
  May the Force be with you.

But in the second person we tend to resort to the imperative surface
form:

  Have a nice trip!
  Enjoy your meal!
  Get well soon!

These would all probably be handled with {a'o} in Lojban.

mu'o mi'e xorxes