Re: Examples wanted: How do you say this?

As for the absolute constructions, they're simply impossible in Kash. You'd
have to use a clause:

When /Since/Because its/the paint was dry, we moved the furniture to the
patio.
If /Since/While (etc.) he is in power, I fear for the nation.

His rebus gestis, Caesar...
When / After he had done these things, Caesar....
====================================

Carsten Becker wrote:
> [1] I didn't find a translation for "mit Kanonen auf Spatzen
> schießen" in my dictionary. It means that you use all the
> power of a method for something for which an easier method
> would have worked as well, maybe even better.
The Engl. idiom involves using some large weapon (I forget what, offhand
:-((( ) to kill a mosquito.

The Kash equivalent would be:
uhima haprali va rungombra tecu
summon [lion-size Cousin] in.order kill [5-6 in. lizard pest]

Colloq. (somewhat substandard) pronunciation:
[u'xiNgapra'li varuN'gombrate'tSu]

Similar: haprali lulusok tecu 'Haprali chase tecu'-- devoting great effort
in the pursuit of something trivial or essentially useless to you.

There's also the expression, "seeing Martians", in my experience used mostly
of cats and dogs when they seem to be staring intently at, apparently,
nothing.  The Kash used to have such an expression-- seeing aliens-- but now
that there actually _are_ Aliens on their planet, it's not used anymore.

Reply