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Lesson 38: Embedded Sentences

Embedded Declarative Sentences

This is a lesson about embedding one sentence inside another sentence. In the examples, the embedded sentence will be enclosed in brackets to help make the process clear.

Unlike Verb Complexes, where the subject of the embedded sentence is identical to the subject of the main sentence (and so can be deleted as redundant), here the Subject of the embedded sentence need not be the same as that of the main sentence.

To embed a declarative sentence, add the ending "-hé" to the last word in the sentence.

[In] the embedded sentences the verb will be first in the sentence, or the auxiliary will if one is present. (This is the reverse of what appears in the English translations.)

Vocabulary


	dam		to manifest; to show signs of some state or emotion
	dedide		story
	-hé		Suffix (embedded clause): Sentence Embedding marker
	láadom		to recognize [láad (to perceive) + dom (to remember)]
	lema		to be gentle
	onin		nurse
	oth		to be important
	thé-		Prefix (verb): about to VERB, any second
	thée-		Prefix (verb): about to VERB, but not any second
	thó-		Prefix (verb): to have just VERBed

Examples


	Bíi lith le [rahowa lalihé] wa.		I think [the rain is cold].
	Bíi lith ra le [rahowa lalihé] wa.		I don't think [the rain is cold].


	Bíi lith le [nalalihé] wa.		I think [it's starting to rain].
	Bíi lith le [nolalihé] wa.		I think [it's finished raining].

It's true that the embedded sentences in the examples above are all Objects of the verb "to think." However, it is impossible for a sentence to be doing the thinking, and there can be no misunderstanding; no "-th" ending is required here. If you should ever have a sentence that could be misunderstood in this way, the embedding marker will follow the case-marker ending--this is the ONLY piece that can be added to a case-marker ending, and it will very rarely be necessary.

Exercises

Translate the following into English.


1	Bíi ril lith le lamith lan netho losh bethothehé wa.
2	Bíi eril dam ra Máthu rahowa anahé wáa.
3	Báa en bebáa mehéthe mudahé?
4	Bíi eril láad ezha oyinan théshumáad babíhé wa.
5	Bíi eril shóo shebasheb yáanin wemaneyahé wa.
6	Bíi lothel wohim woduthahá mebalin obeth nethohé wáa.
7	Bíi ril dom háawith eril naham rohoro bishibenalehé wa.
8	Bíi lishid thóo eril lámála withid rulethehé wáa.
9	Bóo dom di ne omá nethodi aril thad meham ra lezh sheshihotheha wumaneyahé.
10	Bíi eríli thod wothá mesháad romid widahoth methad mesháad ra shamidehé wáa.

Note, in #3, that, although the form of the main (or outer) sentence is a question, there is no question as to whether the pigs are clean. Embedded questions like that would be are a topic for another lesson. The only question here is who understands that they're clean.

Note, in #5, that there is no apparent Subject for the outer sentence. In English, we would say "'it' came to pass...," but Láadan doesn't use an "it" in this case. In fact, the embedded sentence (about the tree dying in winter) is the Subject of "shóo" (to happen; to occur; to come to pass).

Translate the following into Láadan


11	The baker remembered that the dog was gentle.
12	The farmer promised that the baby kittens would be warm.
13	Did the story teach us that the birds showed no fear?
14	The scientist can smell that the flowers are fragrant.
15	The healer signed that Margaret's mother will be well.
16	The philosopher will write that she is singing a song now.
17	It's important that we (many) work very hard.
18	Teresa thinks the nurse has just read a good book.
19	The family knows that the insect is unusually colorful.
20	Didn't anyone tell you that the horse is about to give birth to two foals?

#17 is similar to #5 above in that the embedded sentence (about us working very hard) is the Subject of "oth" (to be important).

In #20, did you successfully form a word for "foal?" Think "infant horse:" "áhomid."

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Answers


1	I think your friend is counting her money.
2	Matthew showed no sign that the food was cold.
3	Who understands that the pigs are clean?
4	The snake saw that the bird was about-to-fly-at-any-moment.
5	It came to pass that the tree died in winter.
6	The traveling healer knows your neighbors are old.
7	The child remembers that it began to storm suddenly.
8	The guest is signing that the man caressed the cat.
9	Please remember to tell your teacher that we will be unable to be present at the beach in the summer.
10	Long ago a sage wrote that wild animals go where domesticated animals cannot go.

11	Bíi eril dom ebalá lema lanemidehé wáa.
12	Bíi eril bédi abedá mehowa árulehé wa.
13	Báa eril om dedide lezhedi medam ra babí héeyathehé?
14	Bíi thad láad ehá oyonan mehada mahinahé wa.
15	Bíi eril lishid duthahá aril tháa mathul Mázhareth bethahé wáa.
16	Bíi aril thod ehená ril lalom be lomethehé wa.
17	Bíi oth mehalehul lenehé wa.
18	Bíi lith Therísha thówéedan onin wothal woháabehé wáa.
19	Bíi lothel onida lirihal zhubehé wa.
20	Báa eril di ra beye neth ril théewóoban omid áhomideth shinehé?

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