Skip to the content
Reply

When a noun and when an adjective?

by Leke, March 24, 2012

Messages: 59

Language: English

Leke (User's profile) March 24, 2012, 9:50:37 PM

Is this the correct way to use "good" as an adjective and as a noun?

Pomoj estas bonaj.
Pomoj gustas bonoj.

If this isn't correct and they both should be adjectives, can you give some examples of "bono"?

Thanks.

Chainy (User's profile) March 24, 2012, 10:49:04 PM

Leke:Pomoj gustas bonoj.
demando.gif

Take a look in ReVo for some examples of 'bono'.

Leke (User's profile) March 25, 2012, 4:42:54 AM

Oh, right...Just realised, it should be an adverb. Sorry, I took a break from my studies for several months and forgot a bunch of grammar rules.

sudanglo (User's profile) March 25, 2012, 10:15:16 AM

Pomoj gustas bonoj/bonaj/bone Perhaps the best way to express the idea is Pomoj bongustas

There is an interesting discussion in PAG of the distinction between Mi sentas min bone (Mi bonfartas - I'm feeling fine/doing OK) and Mi sentas min bona (I'm alright).

RiotNrrd (User's profile) March 25, 2012, 6:54:11 PM

Just to be obtuse, in the sentence "Mi sentas min bone", "bone", being an adverb, modifies the verb rather than either of the pronouns. So, in effect, it should literally mean that you are "good at feeling yourself". No?

Which seems a slightly different sentiment.

Anyway, I don't really want to derail this thread (because we never do that here). But I'd be interested in seeing the PAG discussion. How can I find it?

kaffirlily (User's profile) March 25, 2012, 11:11:33 PM

sudanglo:Pomoj gustas bonoj/bonaj/bone Perhaps the best way to express the idea is Pomoj bongustas

There is an interesting discussion in PAG of the distinction between Mi sentas min bone (Mi bonfartas - I'm feeling fine/doing OK) and Mi sentas min bona (I'm alright).
This is probably a silly question, but what exactly is "PAG"? I have seen several references to it in the forums, and have no idea what is meant by it.

erinja (User's profile) March 26, 2012, 12:04:29 AM

PAG is Plena Analiza Gramatiko, a well-known book of Esperanto grammar. It is out of print now but there are still copies around, used.

The other well-known book of Esperanto grammar is the much more recent book PMEG, the Plena Manlibro de Esperanta Gramatiko (Complete Handbook of Esperanto Grammar)

PAG tends to use traditional grammatical terminology, which can be confusing for people who are unfamiliar with these terms (but helpful to those who perhaps learned grammar of other languages using that terminology). PMEG uses less technical grammatical terminology, which is more descriptive. As far as the grammar itself, PAG and PMEG occasionally disagree on which would be the preferred form, but both are considered quite reliable and well-respected.

kaffirlily (User's profile) March 26, 2012, 2:31:20 AM

erinja:PAG is Plena Analiza Gramatiko, a well-known book of Esperanto grammar. It is out of print now but there are still copies around, used.

The other well-known book of Esperanto grammar is the much more recent book PMEG, the Plena Manlibro de Esperanta Gramatiko (Complete Handbook of Esperanto Grammar)

PAG tends to use traditional grammatical terminology, which can be confusing for people who are unfamiliar with these terms (but helpful to those who perhaps learned grammar of other languages using that terminology). PMEG uses less technical grammatical terminology, which is more descriptive. As far as the grammar itself, PAG and PMEG occasionally disagree on which would be the preferred form, but both are considered quite reliable and well-respected.
Ah, thanks! I will keep an eye out for them.

darkweasel (User's profile) March 26, 2012, 5:39:41 AM

erinja:It is out of print now but there are still copies around, used.
There’s even an online copy that was linked to somewhere on these forums.

sudanglo (User's profile) March 26, 2012, 10:19:20 AM

Riot, I expressed myself carelessly. It's not so much a discussion, as a comment. Unfortunately, I don't remember where it is in PAG, just that I saw it there.

I don't think we need to be literal about it. It is rather using the resources of the language to make a distinction.

Think about how we may give, or enquire about, approval. Tre bone - excellent, well done. Ĉu bone, nun? Is it OK now. Using the adjective form, would shift the emphasis, from a more general evaluation, to something more specific.

Pomoj gustas bone. Ĉu bonaj, la pomoj?

Back to the top