Ought for a sake
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Prescription (the): ought this act for this sake
When English puts should / ought to on doing something for a named sake (Ahelan ought to sing; it's good for their health), put a /th/ word on the clause: sake root, mid-word th, e, then an ending. e is how much of the sake is in: you only have the advice, not the act yet. The clause's verb names the act that ought to count toward the sake. The sentence then says the act ought to happen; it does not report that the act is already happening.
The ending says why you think the move is welcome. Use -l when the person invited this move, explicitly or through a clear standing invitation. Use -m for an unsolicited offer meant to serve the sake. Use -r for a trial: the move is worth trying to see whether it serves the sake, not a settled recommendation. These endings describe why the move is offered and what it aims at, not whether it succeeds. How firmly you put the act on the listener is a separate choice, made by the speech-act word on /y/ (yol / yom, yal / yam). If none of the three reasons applies, drop the.
Compare with: a command yol tells someone to act outright, without naming the sake or why the move is wanted. the is an ought tied to a sake (ought to, to advance this sake), with the reason on the ending.
| Ageben | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
…thel | the person invited this kind of move | invited | -l ≈ lasting: their invitation stands |
…them | an unsolicited offer meant to serve the sake | offered | -m ≈ open offer |
…ther | a move worth trying, to see whether it serves the sake | worth a try | -r ≈ right now (a trial run) |
A sake word with no /b/ is about your sake, so advice for the other person's own good names them in a bl- word right after the sake word. In the same sentence, that is the themself pointer bwuzor. The /b/ says whose stake the act serves, not why they would do it.
zazozon vezuyol thawethem blwuzor.z-Azozon | v-tell | [th-relatedness-ought-offered | bl-←episode-agent.self]
"Azozon ought to talk; it would help them feel connected." (unasked advice)
zahelan vozuyel thobathel blwuzor.z-Ahelan | v-sing | [th-physical-ought-invited | bl-←episode-agent.self]
"Ahelan ought to sing; it's good for their health." (Ahelan asked for advice)
zalazun vabuyol thawether blwuzor.z-Alazun | v-bow | [th-relatedness-ought-trial | bl-←episode-agent.self]
"Alazun could try bowing, to see whether it helps them feel connected."
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a yoga studio
New words:
| English | Ageben | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| relatedness | awel | 🪢 from knot |
Review:
| English | Ageben |
|---|---|
| Azozon | azozon |
| Alazun | alazun |
| Ahelan | ahelan |
| physical | obal |
| sit | vehohel |
| sing | vozuyel |
| tell | vezuyol |
| cook | vuguyol |
English → Ageben
1. Ahelan ought to sit; it would help their health. (unasked advice)
Show answer
zahelan vehohel thobathem blwuzor.
z-Ahelan | v-sit | [th-physical-ought-offered | bl-←episode-agent.self]
2. Ahelan ought to sing; it's good for their health. (Ahelan asked for advice)
Show answer
zahelan vozuyel thobathel blwuzor.
z-Ahelan | v-sing | [th-physical-ought-invited | bl-←episode-agent.self]
3. Alazun could try cooking, to see whether it's good for their health.
Show answer
zalazun vuguyol thobather blwuzor.
z-Alazun | v-cook | [th-physical-ought-trial | bl-←episode-agent.self]
Ageben → English
1. zazozon vezuyol thawethem blwuzor.
Show answer
z-Azozon | v-tell | [th-relatedness-ought-offered | bl-←episode-agent.self]
Azozon ought to talk; it would help them feel connected. (unasked advice)
2. zalazun vozuyel thobathel blwuzor.
Show answer
z-Alazun | v-sing | [th-physical-ought-invited | bl-←episode-agent.self]
Alazun ought to sing; it's good for their health. (Alazun asked for advice)
3. zalazun vuguyol thobather blwuzor.
Show answer
z-Alazun | v-cook | [th-physical-ought-trial | bl-←episode-agent.self]
Alazun could try cooking, to see whether it's good for their health.
Pick one
1. Ahelan ought to sit; it would help their health. (unasked advice) zahelan vehohel thobathem blwuzor. or zahelan vehohel thobathel blwuzor.
Show answer
zahelan vehohel thobathem blwuzor.
z-Ahelan | v-sit | [th-physical-ought-offered | bl-←episode-agent.self]
-m is an unasked offer; -l is for a move they invited.
Fix it
1. Ahelan ought to sit; it would help their health. (unasked advice) zahelan vehohel thobathem.
Show answer
zahelan vehohel thobathem blwuzor.
z-Ahelan | v-sit | [th-physical-ought-offered | bl-←episode-agent.self]
A sake word with no /b/ is about your sake; blwuzor names Ahelan's own.