Re: Laranao modals, aspects, etc.

Daniel Andreasson wrote, in response to me:

>> There are actually two kinds of "some" in English,
>> and it's not clear which kind corresponds to
>> "eto"/"etao":
>>
>>    There are some people in the garden.
>>       (= an indefinite/non-specific number)
>>
>>    Some people like salsa music.
>>       (= more than none, but less than all)
>
>I'm not really sure what the difference would be.
>But 'eto' is supposed to mean 'something indefinable
>and it's just one'. Like: "There is someone/thing
>in the garden" and 'etao' the above explanation
>but in the plural, like: "There are some people/things in
>the garden", but you don't have to actually say the
>quantified noun like you have to in English, so you'd
>have something like 'There are etao in the garden'.
>Also, 'etao' is 'more than one but less than all'.
>So I guess 'etao' corresponds to both of your examples.
Well, not necessarily.  The difference is this:
"some" can mean either "more than one but not all"
or "an indefinite number, fewer than many, but
possibly all".

For example, consider the sentence "There are some
dragons in that forest" (where "some" is unstressed).
This sentence is compatible with a situation in which
all of the dragons in the world happen to be in the
forest.  Thus, "some"  cannot mean "not all" in this
case.  It merely signifies an indefinite number, greater
than one but fewer than "many".

Contrast that with the sentence "SOME dragons
are in that forest" (with emphasis on "some").
I don't think that sentence is compatible with a
situation in which all of the dragons in the world
happen to be in the forest.  It specifically entails
that some dragons are in the forest, and some are
not.  So here, "some" does mean "less than all".

Tokana distinguishes the two meanings:  The
quantifier "sepe" can only be used to mean "less
than all".  To denote an indefinite number without
implying less than all, "mah" must be used.

Matt.