From lojbab Sat Jun 29 01:53:57 1991
Return-Path: <lojbab>
Message-Id: <m0jtYFN-0001HhC@snark.thyrsus.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jun 91 01:53 EDT
From: lojbab (Bob LeChevalier)
To: lojban-list
Subject: abstract lujvo
Status: RO

I received a question about the listing in the rafsi change summary about
conventions for some abstractions.  So let me explain further.

For the example, I will presume (without looking it up) that "salci"
has a place structure x1 celebrates x2.

nu salci is an abstraction selbri:  
  x1 is the event of (x1a celebrates x2a)

To make this into a lujvo, we have reserved a rafsi for 'nu', and in this case
the lujvo-making is as regular as even jimc could want:

nunsalci:   x1 is the celebration-event by x2 of x3

All we do is renumber the places.

We also have rafsi reserved for 'ka', 'ni', 'and 'jei' among the abstractors.
We do not have rafsi for the four Aristotelian subcategories of 'nu' events:
'states', 'activities', 'processes', and 'achievements'.  Nor do we
have rafsi for other members of NU, including the idea abstractor, the e
experience abstractor, etc.

The convention described says that for those members of NU that do not have r
rafsi, we will use a combination of rafsi for related gismu in specific
positions (generally at the beginning of the lujvo) to indicate the abstraction.
We don't assume that all lujvo in that form will be representing the abstraction
since there may be more obvious non-abstraction meanings.  The convention
however tells you how to make a lujvo that will at least suggest the abstraction
rather than force you to try to guess randomly how to do so.  In general, the
convention is close to the most obvious interpretaion anyway.

As for nunsalci, the places of the unabstracted selbri are renumbered shifted
by 1.  For a couple of abstractors (ni and jei come to mind) with more than
one place in the abstraction selbri, the trailing places are added to the end.

This convention is not part of any baseline, and is quite open for your
comments.  Indeed, I'd like to see some people try making lujvo using them.
Post your results.

Also post comments.

lojbab