Re: Indicator contour modifiers

[cowan@snark.thyrsus.com (John Cowan)]

la veion. cusku di'e

>     xu'a  the modified indicator has global scope (default?)
>     xu'e  the m. i. is restricted to the context
>     xu'i  the m. i. ceases to be true due to the fact described
>     xu'o  the m. i. becomes true due to the fact (and will be)
>     xu'u  the m. i. expresses a fleeting feeling

la lojbab. cusku di'e

> I think the system already covers most of this, but I could be wrong.
> I'd send this to Cowan for his comments as well.
> 
> The default is current context, with no indication whether this is
> a transient emotion, or one that you've had for a long time (and presumably
> will indefintiely); i.e. we don't distinguish between xu'a and xu'u.
> HOWEVER long scope is given in forethought by the attitudinal brackets
> (fu'a and fu'e, or something like that - no list handy) which overrides
> the default current context.

It's "fu'e" to open scope and "fu'o" to close it.

> If you use the open bracket followed by the attitudinal, this gives the
> effect (I think) of your 'start of emotion' xu'i.  If you use the
> attitudinal followed by the closer, you get the end-of-emotion xu'o.

Not really, and I think this is a fundamental confusion of thinking.
There is a real difference between a dynamic emotion contour and a
scope of emotion.  The scopes allow you to specify what linguistic
stuff the emotion attaches to, whereas the contours specify what is
happening to you as your emotional state changes.  Consider:

	ko .o'onaixu'o sisti
	You! [anger][inchoative] stop

which is a command to stop, with the implication "I'm getting angry",
as opposed to "I am angry" or (improbable) "I'm ceasing to be angry".
Here the scope is just "ko", the listener, but the contour is rising.

I think the existing system handles linguistic scope fine, but says
nothing about dynamic contour.  A single attitudinal modifier "xu'i"
could be used for dynamic contour:

	xu'i - onset of emotion (like co'a)
	xu'inai - terminus of emotion (like co'u)
	xu'icu'i - point-event emotion (like co'i)

-- 
John Cowan	cowan@snark.thyrsus.com		...!uunet!lock60!snark!cowan
			e'osai ko sarji la lojban.