28ru la pe wo
How warm is the soup
Part VI is about degree: not what a thing is, but how much of it there is. Four small words share one position, immediately before the quality they measure, and only one of them may stand there at a time. The soup will demonstrate all four:
SceneI
sulopa ru sulae nai.sulopa la sulae nai.sulopa pe sulae nai.sulopa wo sulae nai.
| new word | say it | it means |
|---|---|---|
| ru | ru | (before a quality: very) |
| la | la | (before a quality: slightly) |
| pe | pe | (before a quality: enough) |
| wo | wo | (before a quality: too much) |
Very warm. Slightly warm. Warm enough. Too warm. One noun, one adjective, four different suppers.
SceneII
misheko ru maeli nai.lohau la maeli nai.pheralu ru laeno nai.ruela wo laeno nai.
The cat is very quiet; the dog is slightly quiet, which is the most that can honestly be said for him. The rain lasts a long time. The path is too long, and whoever said so has been walking on it.
SceneIII
phialu pe neri nai.thero pe kema nai.tomi wo tumoa nai.
| new word | say it | it means |
|---|---|---|
| neri | ne · ri | cool |
| kema | ke · ma | strong |
| tumoa | tu · mo · a | heavy |
Notice what pe and wo are measuring against. Not a number: a purpose. The water is cool enough for what it is wanted for, the fire strong enough for the cooking, and the pot too heavy for whoever tried to lift it. Change the purpose and the same water is not cool enough at all.
SceneIV
lopia ru thiku nai.whekai lopia pe kema nai.
| new word | say it | it means |
|---|---|---|
| whekai | whe · kai | however, but |
The child is very small. The child is nevertheless strong enough. Both sentences are true at once, and the second is the one the child would want said.