From: wetblu!uunet!PRC.Unisys.COM!dave
Message-Id: <9005291624.AA19161@gem>
Date: Tue, 29 May 90 12:24:29 -0400
To: lojban-list@snark
In-Reply-To: John Cowan's message of Thu, 24 May 90 11:58:48 EDT <m0hYKaH-0001G7C@marob.masa.com>
Subject: Re: PROPOSED CHANGE TO GISMU BASELINE -- PLEASE READ & RESPOND!
Status: RO


> I believe that the use of "metaphor" to translate "tanru" is both misleading
> and inaccurate.

If Cowan's interpretation of "tanru" is correct, then I have certainly
been misled by the translation "metaphor."  However, I'm a rank
beginner and don't know enough lojban to know whether he's right.  His
posting makes sense, and he is certainly correct about the meaning of
the work "metaphor."

The understanding I got from reading the first few lojban chapters was
that the language got by with a relatively small vocabularly because
everything was to be taken metaphorically--if something shared a few
key characteristics with the literal meaning of a tanru, then the
tanru could be used for it (e.g. Carter's example of "chick" for
"nubile woman.")

So which is it?  Are lojban tanru to be taken literally or metaphorically?

-- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com)
-- Unisys Corp. / Paoli Research Center / PO Box 517 / Paoli PA  19301
-- Any resemblance between my opinions and those of my employer is improbable.
< You can put a mouse on an IBM.  And you can put a radio on a motorcycle. >