Generic article. It converts a selbri, selecting its first argument, into a sumti. The resulting expression refers generically to any or some individual or individuals that fit as the first argument of the selbri. An inner quantifier can be used to indicate the number of individuals. An outer quantifier can be used to quantify distributively over such individuals.
Specific article. It converts a selbri, selecting its first argument, into a sumti. The resulting expression refers specifically to an individual or individuals that the speaker has in mind and which the speaker describes as fitting the first argument of the selbri. An inner quantifier can be used to indicate the number of individuals. An outer quantifier can be used to quantify distributively over those individuals.
le palta ba'o porpi i ma gasnu i xu le gerku cu go'i
The dish is broken. Who did it? Was it the dog?
ko punji le sicni ja'e lo porsi be lo vamrai ku bi'o lo vamtolrai
Put the coins in order from greatest to least value.
ci le bi ctuca cu ninmu
Three of the eight teachers are women.
le va ninmu cu mutce melbi iku'i ca'a nanmu gi'e nelci lo nu ninmu dasni
That woman is very beautiful, but she's actually a man who likes to dress as a woman.
o'i mu xagji sofybakni cu zvati le purdi
Caution! There are five hungry Soviet cows in the garden.
ma'i la midju terdi la sadam na sai me la sauron
In Middle Earth-terms, Saddam is by no means a 'Sauron'.
la ci bakni ku poi gusta bu'u la kaiapois cu banli ge lo ka vanbi gi lo ka cidja
The Three Cows Restaurant in Kaiapoi is a wonderful place, both atmosphere and food-wise.
ci la magdonaldz cu jibni le mi briju
There are three McDonald's near my office.
loi litru ti jmaji lo ro pagbu be le terdi
Tourists gather here from all over the world.
loi so'i tadni cu sruri le dinju i so'i le tadni cu krixa
Many students are surrounding the building. Many of the students are yelling.
lo mulno kardygri cu gunma lo vo loi paci karda
A full deck consists of four groups of thirteen cards.
lei brazo cu jinga fi lei dotco la kabri
The Brazilians beat the Germans for the Cup.
ta melbi pixra lai simpson
That's a nice photograph of the Simpsons.
ma cnano lo junta lo'i cifnu poi cazi jbena
What is the normal weight of a baby at childbirth?
ro le verba pu cuxna pa karda le'i cnita selcra
Each child chose a card from the face-down collection.
doi turni do so'i da na fadni la'i kenedis ma'i lo jecra'a
Governor, in many respects, you're not a typical Kennedy politically.
LE, LA | |||||
lo [PA] broda | zo'e noi ke'a broda [gi'e zilkancu li PA lo broda] | ||||
le [PA] broda | zo'e noi mi ke'a do skicu lo ka ce'u broda [gi'e zilkancu li PA lo broda] | ||||
la [PA] broda | zo'e noi lu [PA] broda li'u cmene ke'a mi | ||||
lo PA sumti | lo PA me sumti | ||||
le PA sumti | le PA me sumti | ||||
la PA sumti | zo'e noi lu PA sumti li'u cmene ke'a mi | ||||
loi [PA] broda | lo gunma be lo [PA] broda | ||||
lei [PA] broda | lo gunma be le [PA] broda | ||||
lai [PA] broda | lo gunma be la [PA] broda | ||||
loi PA sumti | lo gunma be lo PA sumti | ||||
lei PA sumti | lo gunma be le PA sumti | ||||
lai PA sumti | lo gunma be la PA sumti | ||||
lo'i [PA] broda | lo selcmi be lo [PA] broda | ||||
le'i [PA] broda | lo selcmi be le [PA] broda | ||||
la'i [PA] broda | lo selcmi be la [PA] broda | ||||
lo'i PA sumti | lo selcmi be lo PA sumti | ||||
le'i PA sumti | lo selcmi be le PA sumti | ||||
la'i PA sumti | lo selcmi be la PA sumti |
Quantified terms | |||||
PA sumti | PA da poi ke'a me sumti | ||||
PA broda | PA da poi broda | ||||
piPA sumti | lo piPA si'e be pa me sumti | ||||
piPA |
Cmavo | Article | Key phrase | Outer quantifier | Inner quantifier | Default quantifier |
lo | Generic | fits | distributive over individuals | number of individuals not necessarily all that exist | none |
le | Specific | described as | distributive over individuals | number of individuals | none |
la | Name | named with | distributive over individuals | part of the name | none |
loi | Generic mass | fit and collectively satisfy | selects subgroup | number of individuals not necessarily all that exist | none |
lei | Specific mass | described as and collectively satisfy | selects subgroup | number of individuals | none |
lai | Name mass | named with and collectively satisfy | selects subgroup | part of the name | none |
lo'i | Generic set | has only members that fit | selects subset | cardinality of set not necessarily all that exist | none |
le'i | Specific set | has only members described as | selects subset | cardinality of set | none |
la'i | Name set | has only members named with | selects subset | part of the name | none |
changes from CLL are shown in red
le nanmu cu se snuti ija'ebo lo tu'o gerku cu kuspe le klaji
The guy had an accident and there was dog all over the road.
bilga lenu jdice lenu roroi pilno lo mokla tirxe (to zoigy. velar gy. toi) jonai crane (to zoigy. alveolar gy. toi)
tavla fi le tutra pe le terdi
le cmana lo cidja ba claxu
In the mountains there is no food.
lapoi pelxu ku'o trajynobli
le dargu pe lo xamgu bangu cu kargu
The road of the good language is costly.
lapoi pelxu ku'o trajynobli
la jyryr. tolkien. cu te cukta la djine turni (to la'o gy Lord of the Rings gy toi) .e le so'omoi be lo xanri munje lisri ca le lampru na'acto
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