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Re: [lojban] Re: Baby Words: "you're right" and orders.


In particular, is there a difference between (1) and (2), and if so, what is it?

(1) .i .e'o do mi sidju
    "Please help me."

(2) .i .e'o ko mi sidju
    "Please help me.

Yes, there is a difference, but it's the sort that probably won't matter outside of poetry or literary analysis. As you say, the latter is more direct.

To take another example, contrast {.e'o ko cliva} with {.e'o do cliva}: in the latter, I might be more aware of (and maybe more interested in) the possibility that a bouncer would throw you out.

MorphemAddict: Imperative refers to a grammatical construct which carries the pragmatics that the listener do something; command refers to any statement that has such pragmatics and is also given from a (presumed) position of power.

"Close the window." is an imperative but may or may not be a command; "Please close the window." is an imperative but probably not a command; "You'd better close the window now!" is a command but not an imperative.

--
mu'o mi'e .arpis.

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