Textbook
2 - To love and to prefer

2 - To love and to prefer

Active actions

luni luni /ˈluni/root.(to) love, (to) caress kena kena /ˈkena/root.to prefer, to choose, preference tellu tellu /ˈteɬu/root.milk, to milk m'ali mjali /ˈmʲali/n.cat ranni ranni /ˈranni/n.fox aj aj /aj/pron.he, she, it (animate)
⚠️ Not found: ACT
li li /li/ptcl.direct object marker

Jetllin ⚠️ Not found: ACTLuni Li Milji.

jetllin luni li mil'i.

Yetlin loves Mily.

Milji ⚠️ Not found: ACTLuni Li Mjali.

mil'i luni li m'ali.

Mily loves the cat.

Mjali ⚠️ Not found: ACTKena Tellu.

m'ali kena tellu.

The cat prefers milk.

Jetllin Jo ⚠️ Not found: ACTKena Mjalimu,, Aj ⚠️ Not found: ACTKena Rannimu.

jetllin jo kena m'alimu,, aj kena rannimu.

Yetlin does not like cats; she prefers foxes.

Lemu Teloku has two forms of plural: regular [ r r /r/suff.plural suffix] and distributive [ mu mu /mu/suff.distributive plural]. Regular plural is used to refer to a group of homogeneous objects, while distributive plural is used to refer to objects of different types or located in different places. In the example, we are talking about cats and foxes in general, not about specific groups of cats and foxes, so the distributive plural is used.
  • The word [ luni luni /ˈluni/root.(to) love, (to) caress] is used for specific objects, most often living beings. It implies some kind of personal relationship. It can also refer to an inanimate object if that object holds special significance (but not to a general class of things or living beings).
  • The word [ kena kena /ˈkena/root.to prefer, to choose, preference] is used to express tastes and preferences. In this sense, it is most often used for non-referential objects (a class of things or beings). When used with a referential object, it means “to choose,” as in “at the store, I chose this cheese.”
  • [
    ⚠️ Not found: ACT
    ] indicates an active (intentional) action. Love is considered an intentional action in Lemu Teloku, as is preference. This is related to the fact that these words derive from ancient roots meaning, respectively, a type of touch and an act of choice.
  • The particle [ li li /li/ptcl.direct object marker] is needed when referring to a specific object rather than something general.

Passive actions

sorra sorra /ˈsorra/root.to feel, feeling ponnta ponnta /ˈponnta/root.approval, to approve, to enjoy retve retve /ˈretve/root.rain, to rain nevi nevi /ˈnevi/n.girl ke ke /ke/prep.by, with (an instrument) nzi nzi /nzi/prep.of, genetive marker men men /men/ptcl.yes

Ke Nevi ⚠️ Not found: be.PRSSorra Nzi Retve.

ke nevi sorra nzi retve.

The girl feels the rain (lit. by the girl there is the sensation of rain).

⚠️ Not found: be.PRSPonnta Nzi Retve Ke Aj.

ponnta nzi retve ke aj.

She enjoys the rain (lit. there is approval of rain by her).

Ac Ke Jetllin ⚠️ Not found: be.PRS.NEGPonnta Nzi Retve.

ash ke jetllin ponnta nzi retve.

But Yetllin does not enjoy the rain.

  • Feelings and sensations in Lemu Teloku are considered passive (non-intentional) actions and follow a specific agreement model using the prepositions [ ke ke /ke/] and [ nzi nzi /nzi/].
1 - Parents and children