Re: A challenge

["Mark E. Shoulson" <shoulson@CS.COLUMBIA.EDU>]

>Date:         Thu, 12 Dec 1996 16:52:43 GMT
>From: Don Wiggins <dwiggins%BFSEC.BT.CO.UK@CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU>
>
>The challenge:
>
>>    One of Huck's eyestalks swerved on me.
>>    "We're-glad-to-see-you're-all-right-but-now-shut-up-and-get-over-here"
>>    Few other citizens of the Slope could squeeze all that into a single
>>    GalThree word-blat.  Not that that skill excused her rudeness.
>
>.i palo kalstani bela xuk. sukcarna fa'a mi .i lu mi'a visydonborka'ogei
>.i ku'i ko smajo'uvizyzva li'u .i so'u ru'a lo xabju bela salpo cu kakne
>lenu setca di'u lo pamei lujvo bebaula galcib. .i ku'i leka stati be tu'ara
>na'e rinselfraxu lenu ko'a nalclite
>
>
>.i     palo    kalstani bela xuk. sukcarna      fa'a   mi
>   One-of-the eye-stalks of Huck sudden-turned towards me
>
>.i lu mi'a      visydonborka'ogei .i  ku'i    ko   smajo'ukemvizyzva li'u
>    "  We  seeing-(you-well)-glad.  However, you! quiet-and-(here-at)  "
>
>I don't see how to make this into a single word (except using "zei") and to
>make any sense.  There are two distinct subjects the "we" and the "you!".
>Obviously, lojbab. has something up his sleeve.

I don't know about making it into a single word, but I probably would
expect more UI markers! (and maybe fewer predicates.  And probably mi
instead of mi'a: if the speaker knows enough to say that "we" are glad,
she's probably speaking on behalf of "we").

za'a kanro .ui .i re'inai .ei ko zvati ti

.ui za'ase'i fu'iro'ose'inai ko zvati ti

Maybe even some cmavo replacement for zvati?

~mark