CHAT: translation (was: Re: CHAT: "have a nice day")

>> pâtakimwukêc atimwêšup apiyêšupim ecanukwûpôk?
>
>What's this mean?
>
>...>it means, um.... 'hast thou never seen a dog sitting in a tree?' it
>sounded good enough at the time.
I like this one.  Here it is in Tokana:

        Ni hieloton uithat ikei palahtai?
        QU see-NEG-PI sit-DEP dog tree-DAT

QU = question particle
PI = past indefinite
DEP = dependent order (used for embedded clauses)
DAT = dative case

The past indefinite specifies that the event happened at some
time (or times) in the past.  It contrasts with the past definite,
which specifies that the event happened at a particular single
time in the past:

Past Indef:
        Sa ias-un upam
        "They ate apples (at some point)"
        "They have eaten apples before"

Past def:
        Sa ias-e upam
        "They ate apples (then)"

When negated, the past indefinite indicates that an event
has not taken place yet (has never taken place), while
the negated past definite indicates that an event did not
take place when it was supposed to, but may have taken
place at some other time:

        Sa ias-oton upam
        "They haven't eaten apples yet"
        "They've never eaten apples"

        Sa ias-otie upam
        "They didn't eat apples (at that time)"

Matt.