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Subject: Re: [lojban] A Simpler Connective System (blog article)
From: Jacob Errington <jake@mail.jerrington.me>
In-Reply-To: <ca63a666-3727-7c2f-8acf-1fbf72d96779@gmx.de>
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2016 11:22:30 -0400
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I'm in favour of a simplification of the connective system. However, there =
is something that bothers me about this proposed simplification; in particu=
lar, it changes the mental model one has of {cu}, breaking a certain elegan=
t symmetry between bridi heads and tails.

A particular type of sentence in Lojban is a bridi, of which the only manda=
tory component is the bridi-tail, which begins with a selbri, ends with {va=
u}, and encloses zero or more terms. If a bridi-tail is present, it may be =
preceded with a bridi-head, which begins after {zo'u}, ends with {cu}, and =
encloses one or more terms.

The symmetry that I'm speaking of is that {cu} parallels {vau}: the former =
terminates the bridi-head and the latter, the bridi-tail. Notice that in th=
is proposal, it becomes possible to write {.i ko'a broda je cu brode}. Clea=
rly, {cu} here is not operating as a terminator anymore, and the symmetry b=
etween {cu} and {vau} is lost.

In the official grammar, it can be observed that {cu} is a terminator by no=
ticing that it is elided only when one or more terms precede the bridi-tail=
: contrast {ko'a [cu] broda [vau]} with {broda [vau]}. The proposed connect=
ive reform does more than reform connectives. It alters the operation of {c=
u}, so that rather act as a bridi-head elidible terminator, it acts as a br=
idi-tail elidible *initiator*.

Reforming the overly complex connective system is an excellent goal, but I =
am against the means to that end employed in this proposal, namely the alte=
ration of {cu} to become an elidible initiator (which would also make it th=
e first of its kind, I think).

.i mi'e la tsani mu'o

> On Sep 25, 2016, at 2:31 PM, selpahi <seladwa@gmx.de> wrote:
>=20
> "How does one say 'and' in Lojban?"
> "Well... it depends, you know.  For sumti, it's {e}.  For tanru and sente=
nces, it's {je}.  For bridi tails it's {gi'e}.  And those were just the aft=
erthought connectives.  Forethought 'and' is {ge} for everything but tanru,=
 which use {gu'e} instead.  Relative clauses are connected with {zi'e}."
> "... oh."
>=20
> With no less than six ways to say "and" as well as roughly the same numbe=
r for each of the other logical functions (OR, IFF, WHETHER-OR-NOT) totalin=
g 26, the Lojban connective system can be quite daunting. But despair not, =
for there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
>=20
> [...]
>=20
> To read the full article follow this link:
>=20
> https://solpahi.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/a-simpler-connective-system/
>=20
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