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Re: backchannels



Well, it is only the same idiom as English in back-translation, since we
would no longer say "you're welcome" to express hospitality or invitation.
I also would not use it globally, as I would the English idiom.  For example,
I would not use fi'i in response to ki'e in response to my doing a favor
- rather I would just use a simple acknowledgement, or maybe elaborate with
an observative like "rolpluka" implying "we are both pleased" as an alternative
to "my pleasure", or "nalnabmi
or "nalgunka" or nalraktu for the coresponding English idioms.

The conception of fi'i was specifically for the ke'o/ki'e/fi'i interchange
of requesting something from a "host" in polite society.

lojbab