Re: Imperatives in split-S languages (was Anomaly of the (apparent) Cebuano uvulars and Guarani info request)

Quoting Roger Mills <rfmilly@...>:

> The problem is, lots of "quality" verbs, in English and many languages,
> can't have imperatives either, and it may be a near-universal. There are
> questions of logic, real-world possibility, applicability to humans,
> volition.  Thus, "don't be ill/sick" is not an acceptable sentence, just
> like "don't be green", "don't be intelligent".  Similarly, "don't know
> that!", "don't understand that!"-- some in this last class are acceptable as
> positives, though rather formal.
I think these are more weird than wrong - in sufficiently weird circumstances,
they could be acceptable. A case of colorless green ideas sleeping furiously, I
guess.

FWIW, I've been told "don't be so fucking bright!". :)

                                                             Andreas

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