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Chlouvānem/Syntax: Difference between revisions
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→Past and perfect
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The past tense in this sentence expresses a generic action: the girl may have painted her face ten years or five minutes ago, but that is irrelevant to the situation. In this particular sentence, the girl’s face may be understood to have now been cleaned, or that she may have cleaned and painted her face again many times - but, actually, whether she did or didn’t is now irrelevant. The actual time when she did it only becomes relevant if it is expressed (e.g. ''palyas jāyim lære junirek'' “the girl painted her [own] face yesterday”) and then it is understood that her face isn’t painted anymore. | The past tense in this sentence expresses a generic action: the girl may have painted her face ten years or five minutes ago, but that is irrelevant to the situation. In this particular sentence, the girl’s face may be understood to have now been cleaned, or that she may have cleaned and painted her face again many times - but, actually, whether she did or didn’t is now irrelevant. The actual time when she did it only becomes relevant if it is expressed (e.g. ''palyas jāyim lære junirek'' “the girl painted her [own] face yesterday”) and then it is understood that her face isn’t painted anymore. | ||
{{Gloss | {{Gloss | ||
| phrase = jāyim palyu | | phrase = jāyim palyu ujunyate. | ||
| gloss = girl.<small>DIR.SG</small>. face-<small>ACC.SG</small>. paint.<small>IND.PERF-3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | | gloss = girl.<small>DIR.SG</small>. face-<small>ACC.SG</small>. paint.<small>IND.PERF-3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | ||
| translation = The girl has painted her [own] face. | | translation = The girl has painted her [own] face. | ||
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Past tense coupled with the first inferential means that it can be assumed that the girl painted her own face sometime in the past; e.g. the girl is now painting her face, and given the way she does it, it’s reasonable to believe it’s not her first time. | Past tense coupled with the first inferential means that it can be assumed that the girl painted her own face sometime in the past; e.g. the girl is now painting her face, and given the way she does it, it’s reasonable to believe it’s not her first time. | ||
{{Gloss | {{Gloss | ||
| phrase = jāyim palyu | | phrase = jāyim palyu ujunyannate. | ||
| gloss = girl.<small>DIR.SG</small>. face-<small>ACC.SG</small>. paint.<small>IND.PERF-INF1-3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | | gloss = girl.<small>DIR.SG</small>. face-<small>ACC.SG</small>. paint.<small>IND.PERF-INF1-3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | ||
| translation = Apparently, the girl has painted her [own] face. | | translation = Apparently, the girl has painted her [own] face. | ||
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Second inferential with past tense, mostly implying the same situation as before, but while she, or something she did, had made the speaker believe she had already painted her face at least once in the past, the way she’s doing it makes think that she probably never did. | Second inferential with past tense, mostly implying the same situation as before, but while she, or something she did, had made the speaker believe she had already painted her face at least once in the past, the way she’s doing it makes think that she probably never did. | ||
{{Gloss | {{Gloss | ||
| phrase = jāyim palyu | | phrase = jāyim palyu ujunyākate. | ||
| gloss = girl.<small>DIR.SG</small>. face-<small>ACC.SG</small>. paint.<small>IND.PERF-INF2-3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | | gloss = girl.<small>DIR.SG</small>. face-<small>ACC.SG</small>. paint.<small>IND.PERF-INF2-3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | ||
| translation = Apparently, the girl has painted her [own] face, but probably didn't. | | translation = Apparently, the girl has painted her [own] face, but probably didn't. | ||