zipcpi: scalar modifiers
This table describes a plan to have a system of scalar modifiers for selbri and sumtcita, to replace or provide an alternative for common usage of {mutce}, {milxe} etc. tanru.
Experimental cmavo added by me has a single asterisk; experimental cmavo added by others has a double asterisk.
Note: {va'e} may also be substituted with {va'ei**}; difference is that {PAva'e} acts as a selbri, while {PAva'ei} acts as a tense/sumtcita (tagged sumti, if present, indicates the scale or subjective frame of reference)
| Description | Gloss | NAhE | NAI/CAI | PAva'e | selbri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| superlative negator | "least possible" | ? | ? | rone'e**va'e | tolrai (+cumki?) |
| polar negator | "opposite of" | to'e | ne'e** | ni'uva'e | dukti |
| denial negator | "not" / "other than" | na'e | nai | nova'e? / no'ai*va'e | natfe |
| liminal negator | "half-X, half-to'e-X" | no'e | cu'i | nova'e? / no'e'u*va'e | norkai / nutli |
| scalar affirmative | "is" / "indeed is" | je'a | ja'ai | su'ova'e / ma'uva'e | jetnu |
| scalar abator | "slightly" / "not very" | rei'e* | ru'e | so'uva'e | milxe |
| scalar normative | "averagely" | noi'e* | na'oi** | no'ova'e | cnano |
| scalar intensifier | "very" | sai'e* | sai | so'iva'e | mutce |
| strong scalar intensifier | "extremely" | cai'e* | cai | so'isaiva'e / so'icaiva'e | tcetce |
| scalar superlative | "most possible" | ? | ? | rova'e | traji (+cumki?) |
| scalar deficience | "not enough" / "too little" | ? | ? | mo'ava'e | toldu'e |
| scalar sufficience | "enough" | ? | ? | rauva'e | banzu |
| scalar excess | "too much" | ? | ? | du'eva'e | tcetce |
| scalar question | "how very?" | pai'e*‡ | pei'a*† | xova'e | - |
‡ Already defined as {je'ai}; but somehow it doesn't seem like a question-word to me.
† Initially suggested by la ctefa'o as an attitudinal intensity question, but not added. May also be used for that purpose.
Note that though attitudinals use NAI/CAI as well, they do not follow this system, but have their own defined scales; in particular, {nai} tends to more often act as a polar negator rather than a denial negator with them.
Problem: Well, the obvious conclusion right now is that subjective PAva'e is currently the most semantically flexible scalar modifier system, and I don't feel like filling the ten empty spots on this table right now. Unfortunately, it does not have the grammatical flexibility of CAI (It's hard to attach PAva'e to sumtcita, for instance). I propose xi'e (selma'o XI) for this purpose; broda xi'eso'u = so'uva'ei broda = broda ru'e = rei'e broda, e.g.