Bite me?

[Logical Language Group <lojbab@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>]

>>So carl, if you want help trying to translate it, you probably need to
>explain
>>what it means, and why these words are "immortal" %^)
>
>Polysemy?  I suppose, since it does depend on a bundle of meanings
>rather than relatively pure meanings.  It exploits multiple connotations
>attached to the action of (someone) biting (something), and usage varies
>by context, so I suppose that makes it polysemous.
>
>The problem is to capture all of the essential meanings within a terse
>phrase, some of which are attitudinal but many of which are not.  In
>context, it is deliberately unclear whether the meaning is [(scorn!)  I
>enjoy X and shall ignore your opinion] or [(Huzzah!)  Take a chunk out
>of me!] or [Eat me, you'll like it!].

In other words, ALL attitudinal.

.e'u ko ga'i batci .o'ase'i

I think the self-centeredness of the attitudinals makes it unnecessary
to say what is to be bitten, especially since it really isn't clear that
the speaker wants an actual bite to occur to his personage.  The .e'u on
the beginning is probably optional.

----
lojbab                                                lojbab@access.digex.net
Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
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