WikiDiscuss

WikiDiscuss


BPFK Section: Distance

posts: 1912

Rob:
> I suppose that keeping {vi} with its current meaning (and I'd prefer doing
> the same with {zi} for consistency) would be fairly acceptable.

The disadvantage is that we would lose the direct way of saying
"just two miles away", "only an hour before the explosion", etc.

What I'd rather do is allow {vi} as an abbreviation for {vibu'u}
when context makes it clear that that is what is meant.

{vibu'u}, {vabu'u} and {vubu'u} are "here at...", "there at...",
"yonder at...", the original meanings of {vi}, {va}, {vu} as
sumti tcita (but not CLL's). "Here", "there", and "yonder" are in
principle with respect to the speaker, but they can also be with
respect to another reference point.

> Then, the
> need for {zaku} could be avoided just by reversing the tenses:
> {zapu le nu spoja}.

{zapu} is defined as "in the past of some time away from now/reference".
Not a strikingly useful thing, but that's the definition.

In any case, we don't have any official position on the interpretation
of compound tenses as sumti tcita. The two most obvious possibilities
are that the sumti goes with the first component of the compound or
with the last one. Generally I think I've assumed it goes with the
last component.

mu'o mi'e xorxes


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