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Re: [ceqli] Re: What



In a message dated 8/23/2007 8:45:58 AM Central Daylight Time, rmay@hidden.email writes:


I'm currently wondering about this construction:

ciba bi to jino hu go pa don to hon ko.

This is the man I gave to book to.



So long as it means:
This is the man who(m) I gave the book to HIM.

It feels to 'Englishy,' somehow, but I can't see any
ambiguity.

>
> I prefer having a pronoun to fill the gap in sentences like this, but English
> doesn't use one, and most European languages don't either.

It would have to be, I think, a special 'filler' pronoun that isn't used for
anything else, and it might be a handy thing to have to cut down
ambiguity.  That might be a good role for 'ce,' sort of a parallel with
'co.'

ciba bi to jino hu ko ce go pa don to hon.

And it would be optional, of course, but available when sentences get
very complex.

ciba bi to stol hu sur ce go tari to hon.

This is the table I found the book on.



So long as it basically means:
This is the table which I found the book on IT.

It would especially be useful when the referent isn't the subject or
direct object of the main verb.

Resumptive pronouns (whatever their form) can be used anywhere in the relative clause.

stevo