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Consider the example:
9.1) mi tavla bau la lojban. bai tu'a la frank. I speak in-language Lojban with-compeller some-property-of Frank. I speak in Lojban, under compulsion by Frank.Example 9.1 has two modal sumti, using the modals ``bau'' and ``bai''. Suppose we wanted to specify the language explicitly but be vague about who's doing the compelling. We can simplify Example 9.1 to:
9.2) mi tavla bau la lojban. bai [ku]. I speak in-language Lojban under-compulsion.
In Example 9.2, the elidable terminator ``ku'' has taken the place of the sumti which would normally follow ``bai''. Alternatively, we could specify the one who compels but keep the language vague:
9.3) mi tavla bau [ku] bai tu'a la frank. I speak in-some-language under-compulsion-by some-property-of Frank.
We are also free to move the modal-plus-``ku'' around the bridi:
9.4) bau [ku] bai ku mi tavla In-some-language under-compulsion I speak.An alternative to using ``ku'' is to place the modal cmavo right before the selbri, following the ``cu'' which often appears there. When a modal is present, the ``cu'' is almost never necessary.
9.5) mi bai tavla bau la lojban. I compelledly speak in-language Lojban.In this use, the modal is like a tanru modifier semantically, although grammatically it is quite distinct. Example 9.5 is very similar in meaning to:
9.6) mi se bapli tavla bau la lojban. I compelledly-speak in-language Lojban.
The ``se'' conversion is needed because ``bapli tavla'' would be a compeller type of speaker rather than a compelled (by someone) type of speaker, which is what a ``bai tavla'' is.
If the modal preceding a selbri is constructed using ``fi'o'', then ``fe'u'' is required to prevent the main selbri and the modal selbri from colliding:
9.7) mi fi'o kanla fe'u viska do I with-eye see you I see you with my eye(s).There are two other uses of modals. A modal can be attached to a pair of bridi-tails that have already been connected by a logical, non-logical, or modal connection (see Chapter 14 for more on logical and non-logical connections):
9.8) mi bai ke ge klama le zarci gi cadzu le bisli [ke'e] I under-compulsion ( both go to-the market and walk on-the ice ) Under compulsion, I both go to the market and walk on the ice.
Here the ``bai'' is spread over both ``klama le zarci'' and ``cadzu le bisli'', and the ``ge ... gi'' represents the logical connection ``both-and'' between the two.
Similarly, a modal can be attached to multiple sentences that have been combined with ``tu'e'' and ``tu'u'', which are explained in more detail in Chapter 19:
9.9) bai tu'e mi klama le zarci .i mi cadzu le bisli [tu'u] Under-compulsion [start] I go to-the market. I walk on-the ice [end]means the same thing as Example 9.8.
Note: Either BAI modals or ``fi'o''-plus-selbri modals may correctly be used in any of the constructions discussed in this section.
Previous
Other modal connections |
To Boston Via The Road Go I, With An Excursion Into The Land Of Modals
The Lojban Reference Grammar |
Next
Modal relative phrases; Comparison |