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From: rharmsen@knoware.nl (Ruud Harmsen)
Subject: Pas encore?
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Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 21:03:04 GMT
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Does French "pas encore" mean "not yet" or "not anymore"? In other
words, does the "encore" give a duration to the "pas", or does
"pas" negate the "encore"?
Similar problem with Spanish "ya no", Portuguese "ja n~ao" and
Esperanto "jamne", which I know all mean "no longer", meaning
the "ya" gives a beginning to the "no", instead of (what I always
tend to think) the "no" negating the "ya". The opposite of "already"
I think would be "not yet". What is "not yet" in these languages,
and in French if not "pas encore"? And what is "no longer, not
any more" in French then, as "non plus" is the opposite of "too".
(Which in English can't be "too not" or "also not", rather
"me too" becomes "neither do I").
Is the French title "Je t'aime; moi non plus" a joke, or a pun?
Aren't these languages a little too confusing?

