Re: [lojban] Request for grammar clarifications

[John Cowan <jcowan@reutershealth.com>]

Rob Speer wrote:


> It seems that aulun wanted to say "the dead cat is me", but with {me} it just
> means "the dead cat pertains to me" - a weaker sentence. If {du} had been
> used, it would make a powerful (though very unlikely to be literally true)
> claim.


No, that was so formerly, but is not true now.  "me <sumti>" means that
the x1 is one or more of the referents of <sumti>.  This is not the
same as "du"; it is the same as ordinary predication, if the <sumti>
is veridical:  ko'a me lo mlatu = ko'a mlatu.


> Perhaps a better example would be the Walt Kelly quote, "We have met the enemy,
> and he is us." Is there any better way to translate that than {mi'o puzi penmi
> le bradi .ije ri du mi'o}?


Sounds good to me.


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