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Modal relative phrases; Comparison

9. Modal selbri

Consider the example:

9.1)  mi tavla bau la lojban.
        bai tu'a la frank.
    I speak in-language Lojban
        with-compeller some-property-of Frank.
    I speak in Lojban, under compulsion by Frank.
Example 9.1 has two modal sumti, using the modals ``bau'' and ``bai''. Suppose we wanted to specify the language explicitly but be vague about who's doing the compelling. We can simplify Example 9.1 to: 

9.2)  mi tavla bau la lojban. bai [ku].
    I speak in-language Lojban under-compulsion.

In Example 9.2, the elidable terminator ``ku'' has taken the place of the sumti which would normally follow ``bai''. Alternatively, we could specify the one who compels but keep the language vague:

9.3)  mi tavla bau [ku]
        bai tu'a la frank.
    I speak in-some-language
        under-compulsion-by some-property-of Frank.

We are also free to move the modal-plus-``ku'' around the bridi:

9.4)  bau [ku] bai ku mi tavla
    In-some-language under-compulsion I speak.
An alternative to using ``ku'' is to place the modal cmavo right before the selbri, following the ``cu'' which often appears there. When a modal is present, the ``cu'' is almost never necessary. 
9.5)  mi bai tavla bau la lojban.
    I compelledly speak in-language Lojban.
In this use, the modal is like a tanru modifier semantically, although grammatically it is quite distinct. Example 9.5 is very similar in meaning to: 
9.6)  mi se bapli tavla bau la lojban.
    I compelledly-speak in-language Lojban.

The ``se'' conversion is needed because ``bapli tavla'' would be a compeller type of speaker rather than a compelled (by someone) type of speaker, which is what a ``bai tavla'' is.

If the modal preceding a selbri is constructed using ``fi'o'', then ``fe'u'' is required to prevent the main selbri and the modal selbri from colliding:

9.7)  mi fi'o kanla fe'u viska do
    I with-eye see you
    I see you with my eye(s).
There are two other uses of modals. A modal can be attached to a pair of bridi-tails that have already been connected by a logical, non-logical, or modal connection (see Chapter 14 for more on logical and non-logical connections): 
9.8)  mi bai
        ke ge klama le zarci gi cadzu le bisli [ke'e]
    I under-compulsion
        ( both go to-the market and walk on-the ice )
    Under compulsion, I both go to the market
        and walk on the ice.

Here the ``bai'' is spread over both ``klama le zarci'' and ``cadzu le bisli'', and the ``ge ... gi'' represents the logical connection ``both-and'' between the two.

Similarly, a modal can be attached to multiple sentences that have been combined with ``tu'e'' and ``tu'u'', which are explained in more detail in Chapter 19:

9.9)  bai tu'e mi klama le zarci
        .i mi cadzu le bisli [tu'u]
    Under-compulsion [start] I go to-the market.
        I walk on-the ice [end]
means the same thing as Example 9.8.

Note: Either BAI modals or ``fi'o''-plus-selbri modals may correctly be used in any of the constructions discussed in this section.

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Other modal connections 		To Boston Via The Road Go I, With An Excursion Into The Land Of Modals
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Modal relative phrases; Comparison