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Does the "unu" takes -n in accusative?

de robinast, 2009-januaro-26

Mesaĝoj: 26

Lingvo: English

ceigered (Montri la profilon) 2009-februaro-02 16:46:23

erinja:The conditional is occasionally used in Esperanto to show politeness, but this normally isn't done with every verb, at least in my experience. And it's normally accompanied by something else that makes it clear that it's a polite request.

Frankly, people don't speak as politely in Esperanto (or probably in any language) as they used to. As far as conditionals to show politeness, I rarely hear anything beyond, for example, "Mi ŝatus havi iom da kafo" (I would like to have some coffee). This makes it clear through context that it's a polite request. "Mi trinkus iom da kafo" doesn't sound like a request to me; it sounds like the beginning of an excuse.
I agree with you completely. Maybe the whole lack of politeness is because we are teaching children to go out and grab what they want in life without worrying what others will think of them. Alternatively, it could be because people are automatically becoming 'friendlier' with people and therefore using closer language where politeness is assumed?

Rogir (Montri la profilon) 2009-februaro-02 19:54:48

Because politeness is expressed so differently in different languages, what is considered polite by one in Esperanto will just be vague to the other. As far as I know, the only often used polite form in esperanto is bonvolu, or bonvole.

dukemasuya (Montri la profilon) 2009-decembro-25 06:55:37

I was hoping someone could explain how "unuj" works? I read about it in PMEG but I could't understand what it was saying. And whoever explains, could you give an example, please! Dankegon!

Miland (Montri la profilon) 2009-decembro-25 12:05:44

dukemasuya:I was hoping someone could explain how "unuj" works?
Unuj means "a number of", or "some", and so quite similar to kelkaj, but it emphasizes the fact that a number of individuals are being considered. An example: "Some (individuals) did well in the examination, but not others" would be Unuj faris bone en la ekzameno, sed ne aliaj.

Here's an example from Zamenhof's address to the 4th World Congress in Dresden in 1908: Iom post iom konstante aperas novaj vortoj kaj formoj, unuj fortikiĝas, aliaj ĉesas esti uzataj.
I translate: "New words and forms are constantly appearing little by little; some establish themselves, others fall out of use."

Personally I don't use it, being accustomed to kelkaj. But it may be appropriate sometimes.

Jes (Montri la profilon) 2009-decembro-25 20:04:53

Ege interesa!

Very interesting! shoko.gif

So I guess that deppending on the situation, it might be slightly better using "unuj" instead of "kelkaj" or even "diversaj" or "pluraj". All of them in the sense of "Some"

Anyway, I still keep prefferring "kelkaj" senkulpa.gif

darkweasel (Montri la profilon) 2009-decembro-25 20:09:33

Such a half-definite article "unu" means that I know about which object I speak, while the one I speak to doesn't. It is similar to English "certain" but has a less emphasizing nuance.

Half-definite article "unu" in PMEG

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