[tlhIngan Hol] where the {'e'} of a sao refers

[SuStel]

On 2/7/2018 10:11 AM, mayqel qunenoS wrote:
> There is something I've been wondering for quite some time.
>
> A sao has the form {sentence 'e' verb}, with the {'e'} referring to 
> the {sentence}.
>
> If we write {vIghro' vIje' 'e' Dalegh}, then this means "you saw that 
> I fed the cat".
>
> But what happens, when before the {'e'} we have two joined sentences ?
>
> Suppose we write {vIghro' vIje' 'ej chab wIvut 'e' Dalegh}.
>
> Where does the {'e'} refer now ? Does it refer to the entire {vIghro' 
> vIje' 'ej chab wIvut}, or does it only refer to the {chab wIvut} ?
>
> Does the {vIghro' vIje' 'ej chab wIvut 'e' Dalegh} mean:
>
> "I fed the cat, and you saw that we baked the pie", or does it mean 
> "You saw that I fed the cat and that we baked the pie" ? Or does it 
> mean both ?

Strictly according to the text of TKD, it could mean either.

Sentence as object is not defined as "sentence 'e' verb"; it is defined 
as "sentence1 sentence2" (although there is later mention of the 
"two-verb (or two-sentence) construction." There are several kinds of 
SAO, including those using *'e'* or *net,* those using *neH* in the 
second sentence, those using verbs of speech, and those using *rIntaH.*

TKD doesn't give much explanation as to what sorts of sentences are 
allowed as sentence one or sentence two. It only uses basic sentences as 
components of the examples. I see no particular reason why a compound 
sentence couldn't be used as sentence one. For that matter, I'm not sure 
that sentence two couldn't be a compound sentence: *chab wIvut 'e' 
Dachaw' 'ej 'e' Dabej*/You permit us to and watch us bake a pie./ Maybe 
one could argue that the use of the phrase "two-verb... construction" 
means compound sentences can't be used in an SAO, but I don't think that 
was the intention of the phrase. I think it just didn't occur to Okrand.

How about comparatives as sentence one? People do that all the time. 
*SoH HoS law' jIH HoS puS 'e' vItem*/I deny that you're stronger than me./

How about dependent clauses on either half of an SAO? No reason not to 
do that, and that would introduce more verbs, despite the "two-verb... 
construction."

But you're right that there's ambiguity. As always, ambiguity is a 
normal part of language. If you want to avoid ambiguity, be more 
explicit. *vIghro' vIje' 'e' Dalegh 'ej chab wIvut 'e' Dalegh*/You see 
me feed the cat and you see us bake a pie./

-- 
SuStel
http://trimboli.name

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