Re: translation exercise

Amanda Babcock <langs@...> writes:

> In your language, express a native speaker's opinion of the appropriateness
> of the cat (or other domestic animal) peeing (or other disgusting action)
> on the bed (or other inappropriate place).
Emurgade yilanar cheki ubul ejemi!

SURFACE: e-murg-a-de yilan-ar chek-i u-bul ejem-i
UNDERLY: e-murg-a-de yilan-r-0 chek-i um-pul-0 ajam-i

MPH-inappropriate-NDF-COP pee-ABS-CON cat-DEF ESS-topside-CON bed-DEF

"It's so inappropriate, the cat peeing on the bed!"

(eMPHatic, iNDeFinite, COPula, ABSolute pple ~ infinitive,
 CONstruct state, DEFinite, ESSive case)

If the fact hasn't happened, one can use the hypothetical {-bu}:

More o murga, chek yilanenabu mejemi!
more o murg-a chek yilan-en-a-bu m-ajam-i
thing which inappropriate-NDF cat pee-ACP-NDF-HYP ESS-bed-DEF
"Such an inappropriate thing [would be] a cat peeing on the bed!"
"What an inappropriate thing if a peeing cat [was] on the bed!"

(ACtive Participle, HYPothetical)

What a surprise to learn that Denden has {-bu} as the irrealis
mark! I think the hypothetical {-bu} of Senu Yivokuchi may overlap
with it, though I'm still figuring out its uses.


--Pablo Flores
  http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/nyh/index.html
  "The future is all around us, waiting, in moments
   of transition, to be born in moments of revelation.
   No one knows the shape of that future or where it
   will take us. We know only that it is always born
   in pain."  -- G'Kar quoting G'Quon, in "Babylon 5"