[lojban] Re: jordis

[Jorge "Llambías" <jjllambias2000@yahoo.com.ar>]

--- jordi mas wrote:

> So my rule of thumb from now on is "never use du even
> when you want to assert identity, just in case". 

coi jordis

You have to take into account that some of us tend to
be quite blunt in expressing our opinions but that
doesn't mean we are always right. I think Pierre's
use of {du} in this case was perfectly correct and
unobjectionable. Many do follow that rule of thumb
never to use {du}, but that's their loss. {du} does
have its proper uses.

One difference between {me} and {du} is that {x1 du x2}
claims that "x1" and "x2" have exactly the same referent(s),
whereas {x1 me x2} claims that the referent(s) of "x1" are
among those of "x2". 

So:

(1)
xu do fanva abu
"Do/did you translate A?"

(2)
xu do me le fanva be abu
"Are you among those I describe as the translators of A?" 

(3)
xu do du le fanva be abu
"Are you the one(s) I describe as the translator(s) of A?"

In (2) and (3), the speaker has some referent(s) in mind, 
the translators of A, and wants to know if you are them
or one of them. In (1), the speaker only asks if you
did a translation. In this case, Pierre knew about a
person named Jordi that he called "the translator
of A into Catalan", and he wanted to know if you were that 
person, so his question with {du} was correct. 

mu'o mi'e xorxes




		
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