natan wrote:
If lupa = "empty", then lupa ala = "not empty", though that would not necessarily mean that it is "full" (it is just not empty).
Just as if pini = "full", then pini ala = "not full", though that would not necessarily mean that it is "empty" (it is just not full).
Therefore:
poki li lupa — cup is empty
poki li lupa ala — cup is not empty (though may not be full either)
poki li pini — cup is full
poki li pini ala — cup is not full (though may not be empty either)
Yes, "lupa ala" is not necessarily "fully filled", maybe just a little bit. It makes me wonder though if "lupa" itself is "fully empty".
ala li lon insa poki. — The cup is empty.
ala li lon ala insa poki. — There is no nothing in the cup. It's full.
ijo li lon insa poki. — There is something in the cup. It's not empty.
I would avoid "pini" for "full". pu says: "ago, completed, ended, finished, past". A "poki pini" would be therefore a cup from the past or a finished cup. (If you're evil or a beginner you might even argue that if someone has finished their cup, it's empty.)