Re: habitual/typical

[Jorge Llambias <jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU>]

la bob cusku di'e

>    >         na'o kalte fa lo mlatu loi smacu
>
>    Hunting is a typical relationship between cats (x1 or hunter) and
>    mice (x2 or prey).
>
> We look at other cats and other mice and other instances of hunting.
> This works, but you do have to look at the whole bridi.

To me {lo mlatu} is "at least one cat", not cats in general. To get
the meaning you suggest I'd say

        kalte fa lo'e mlatu lo'e smacu

na'o/ta'e say what fraction of the interval is covered by the event
happening, I don't think it can change the sumti from {lo} to {lo'e}.


> Now, let's try `habitually' in that utterance:
>
>    >         ta'e kalte fa lo mlatu loi smacu
>
> Here we have to look at the hunting and at the cat and its previous
> experience and at the mouse and its previous experience (or the
> plurals of these, or the `Mr. Mouse' entity).  This works, too.

Its experience previous to what? Does ta'e make reference to what
went on before the interval in question?

Jorge