Skip to the content
Reply

The word "with"

by vikungen, November 13, 2014

Messages: 10

Language: English

vikungen (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 12:23:40 PM

I am wondering a little regarding the use of the word "kun" in Esperanto and what prepositions are to be used and when.

I understand you would say: John kaj Marko estas kun Georg.

But how would one translate these sentences?

"Kill it with fire before it lays eggs."

"A woman with a swimming suit"

Kirilo81 (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 12:55:18 PM

"Kill it with fire before it lays eggs."
Mortigu ĝin fajre/per fajro, antaŭ ol ĝi metos ovojn. (instrument)
"A woman with a swimming suit"
Virino kun bankostumo. ("company" in the broadest sence)

Mustelvulpo (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 1:52:13 PM

"Virino kun bankostumo" would in most cases imply that the woman is wearing the bathing suit. But it could also mean that the woman simply has the suit in her possession. If you need to make clear that the woman is wearing the suit "virino portante bankostumon" or simply "virino en bankostumo" is more to the point.

Kirilo81 (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 1:53:47 PM

Just to sharpen my understanding: Does English "A woman with a swimming suit" imply that she is wearing it?

AxelMajere (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 2:24:57 PM

Kirilo81:Just to sharpen my understanding: Does English "A woman with a swimming suit" imply that she is wearing it?
No, it implies she has a swimming suit with her, as in carrying it. A woman in a swimming suit would be wearing it.

Alkanadi (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 2:26:41 PM

Kirilo81:Just to sharpen my understanding: Does English "A woman with a swimming suit" imply that she is wearing it?
No.

"A woman with a swimming suit..." --> She might be wearing it but it sounds like she is carrying it.

"A woman in a swimming suit..." --> She is wearing it.

"A woman wearing a swimming suit..." --> She is wearing it.

nornen (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 3:25:14 PM

Mustelvulpo:If you need to make clear that the woman is wearing the suit "virino portante bankostumon" or simply "virino en bankostumo" is more to the point.
"Virino portanta bankostumon" might backfire, because "porti" means literally "carry" and then figuratively "wear". Compare "virino portanta infanon".

Maybe less ambiguous [1]: "virino surhavanta bankostumon." or more simple and as you have already pointed out: "virino en bankostumo"

----
[1] I always need to look up the spelling of "ambiguous".

vikungen (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 5:03:30 PM

Thanks for the input!

Well so "in a bathing suit" it seems possible to say in Esperanto to remove the ambiguity of "with".

But how do you then say:

- A man with (in) a red jacket. [This will face the same question between in and with]

Viro en ruĝa jako?
Viro kun ruĝa jako?

- A man with red shoes. [Though this will face a different problem]

Viro en ruĝaj ŝuoj?
Viro kun ruĝaj ŝuoj?

sergejm (User's profile) November 13, 2014, 5:35:07 PM

About jacket and shoes: this is the same as with bathing suit.
But 'viro kun glavo'? Do the sword is in the scabbard or it is in the hand? In this case you need add 'viro kun glavo en glavingo' or 'viro kun glavo en la mano'.

Nephihaha (User's profile) November 16, 2014, 9:56:48 PM

Kirilo81:Just to sharpen my understanding: Does English "A woman with a swimming suit" imply that she is wearing it?
Sometimes, but not usually.

"A woman with a swimsuit ON" definitely means she is wearing it.

Back to the top