(no subject)

[kittydesade]

Whether vs if: ли constructions
These examples show how Russian embeds questions as subordinate clauses into longer sentences.

I wanted to find out if (whether) you have received all the information about my arrival.
Я хотел узнать, получили ли вы всю информацию о моём приезде.

No, we still don't know when you'll arrive.
Нет, мы ещё не знаем, когда вы приедете.

Main Clause -- Subordinate Clause
Я хотела узнать, -- где Иван
Я не знаю, -- какие языки знает Анна.
Вы не знаете, -- какая вчера была погода?

If the question does not have a question word, the particle ли is used immediately after the word being questioned. In nearly all instances, this is the verb in the subordinate clause. If there is no verb, then ли appears after the predicate adjective or adverb.

Main Clause + Verb + ли + Rest of Subordinate Clause
Я не знаю, + говорит + ли + Анна по-русски.
Вы не знаете, + шёл + ли + дождь вчера?
Я хотела узнать, + будет + ли + Иван дома.
Я не знаю, + дома + ли + Иван.
Ты не знаешь, + холодно + ли + на улице?

Note that Russian uses the same tense in reported speech as in direct speech.
Я хотела узнать, «Иван будет дома завтра?» -- Я хотела узнать, будет ли Иван дома завтра.
Я спросила: «Какая будет погода?» -- Я спросила, какая будет погода.

Ответьте на вопросы. Answer in complete sentences, indicating that you do not know.

1. Какая сегодня погода в Москве? Я не знаю, какая сегодня погода в Москве.
2. Идёт дождь в Москве? Я не знаю, идёт ли дождь в Москве.
3. Какая была погода в Москве вчера? Я не знаю, какая была погода в Москве вчера.
4. Шёл дождь в Москве вчера? Я не знаю, шёл ли дождь в Москве вчера.
5. Было жарко в Москве вчера? Я не знаю, было ли жарко в Москве вчера.
6. Какая будет погода в Москве завтра? Я не знаю, какая будет погода в Москве завтра.
7. Будет тепло в Москве завтра? Я не знаю, будет ли тепло в Москве завтра.
8. Будет идти снег завтра в Москве? Я не знаю, будет ли идти снег завтра в Москве.
9. Какая у вас будет погода завтра? Я не знаю, какая у нас будет погода завтра.
10. Завтра будет прохладно? Я не знаю, будет ли прохладно завтра. (but, god, I hope it's only warm.)



There are voyeuristic crickets in my bathroom watching me shower.

I had another caterpillar moment this morning. For those of you who don't remember/know, that's one of those moments where you stop and try and figure out how the hell you can do this, and in doing so you stop being able to do whatever it is you were just doing. Akin to the caterpillar who, when asked how it moved all those legs in coordination, abruptly fell over because suddenly it couldn't move any of them at all because it didn't know which leg to put where, when. Overthinking is seriously a killer sometimes. And at the moment, it's my language killer. I know all this. It may not come to mind as readily as I would need to speak it calmly and fluently, but it's in there. I know because I can do the exercises pretty much cold, without looking up much more than new words or the grammar points I just learned. So it's in there. I just need to let it percolate, sit, sort it out, take it out and use it every so often.

I'm having a serious flail over people who are going to be at Dragon Con. Adrian Pasdar, for one. Mohinder, for another. Linda Hamilton, let me repeat that, Linda Fucking Sarah Connor Hamilton, which is also funny because I've been watching Beauty and the Beast. Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, and Morena Baccarin, giving me yet more Firefly signatures. Brent Spiner, Armin Shimmerman, Rene Auberjonois. Ray Park. Ray fucking Park. Stan Fucking Lee. Gigi Edgley, Raelee Hill, Jamie Bamber, Edward James Olmos. I can continue my tradition of getting random Battlestar Galactica people's signatures without actually knowing who the hell they are or what the hell they play. Kai Owen, aka Rhys from Torchwood. John DeLancie. LeVar Burton. And, oh, JIM FUCKING BUTCHER. And Mark. Because Mark is fucking everywhere.

I need to make a list. I have, um. Enough money stashed away for about 20 signatures. And so far I think fourteen people on the list whose signatures I need to get at least for me, and maybe three others that I need to get for other people. So this should be enough? I need to also remember to change up some bills so that I can just give out exact cash, hopefully. And. And and and. I'm getting way too excited about this but LOOK AT THAT LIST OF PEOPLE I WILL BE ABLE TO GET SIGNATURES FROM. AND MEET. AND TALK TO. AND MAYBE FLIRT WITH. Seriously, dude, Mark Sheppard will be there. Linda fucking Sarah Connor fucking Hamilton. I think I wanted to be Sarah Connor when I was younger, at least, the second movie. So much ass kicked. And then there's my sad, sad crush on Vincent, so I guess I wanted to be Catherine, too. For it being a romantic show, she kicked her fair share of ass. And, um. Adrian Pasdar. Would it be too much if I got a glossy printout of one of his naked in a box scenes from Profit and asked him to autograph that? Yeah, I thought so.

The sad/funny thing is, the guest list isn't even finalized yet. Oh! Michael Shanks, he's supposedly going to be there too. And there have been some people in the past who've cancelled shortly before the con, so I hope at least EJO doesn't do that, because I have a paper unicorn waiting to be signed by him. But, goddamn. God fucking damn this is going to be awesome.

Ahem. I should stop drooling and get ready to go already. I just. Wow. The boy and I were looking over this last night and so excited am I it is insane. Yes.