From cbmvax!uunet!CUVMA.BITNET!LOJBAN Thu Oct 17 06:24:33 1991 Return-Path: Date: Thu Oct 17 06:24:33 1991 Message-Id: <9110170808.AA03000@relay1.UU.NET> Reply-To: Chris Dollin Sender: Lojban list From: Chris Dollin Subject: pc tackles an aphorism X-To: LOJBAN%CUVMA.BITNET@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU To: John Cowan , Eric Raymond , Eric Tiedemann Status: RO "Not to decide is to decide". I wondered about a translation of this, and it seems that all the attempts so far (I say ``attempt'' not because they are failures, but becuarse they are different from what I am going to say ...) have tried to follow the form of the original rather closely. It may not have all the connotations of the original, but how about treating it as ``There are no events-of-not-deciding''? Guessing from the examples provided, I think this translates as na da nu na jdice no-x is an event of not-deciding - I haven't studied the Lojban grammar yet, although I remember some of the loglan; forgive me for any gross errors. The context in which the proverb might be used (when a decision is being avoided for whatever reason) seems to make both the original form, and my revised one, equally appropriate, although not equivalent (in any logical sense). Regards, | ``"I can't suit myself," said Weinbaum, a little petulantly. Kers. | "I work for the Government".'' - Blish, "The Quincunx of Time".