Message-Id: <9202111448.AA29698@buphy.bu.edu>
From: Mark E. Shoulson <cbmvax!uunet!ctr.columbia.edu!shoulson>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 92 09:47:15 EST
To: 72627.2647@compuserve.com
Cc: conlang@buphy.bu.edu, lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu
In-Reply-To: Don Harlow's message of 11 Feb 92 00:21:13 EST <920211052112_72627.2647_DHJ43-2@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Monato
Status: RO

Well, the box on the contents-page said only that there was a copyright.  I
don't think I'm really taking away any business from them by sending out
this one article, so here it comes.  Esperanto first, then my own
uninspired translation:
------------

Dum la pasintaj du jaroj entuziasmuloj de logikaj lingvoj sukcesis revivigi
eksperimentan lingvon pli frue publikigitan per 1960-a artikolo en la
jxurnalo _Scientific American_ (Usona sciencisto).  Baziuta sur la pli frua
_Loglan_ (kunfando el anglaj vortoj kun signifo "logika lingvo"), la
amplekse refarita _lojxbana_ posedas ne nur plene definitan gramatikon,
bazan vortaron kaj vortformadajn algoritmojn, sed ankaux imponan aron da
komputilprogramoj por sintaksa malkombinado (angle _parsing_), lernado de
la vortaro, kaj produktado de frazoj.

Scio de matematika logiko evidentigxas en la predikata formo de lojxbanaj
bazvortaroj.  Ekzemple, _klama_, uzata en formo "klama X Y Z" estas
difinita kiel "veni/iri al X el Y tra Z".  Vortetoj _se_, _te_, _ve_
produktas _seklama_ (destino), _teklama_ (origino), kaj _veklama_ (vojo).

La frazo _mi djica le nuke do klama_ (lauxvorte "mi volas la okazajxon de
via venado/irado") laux algoritmo malkombinigxas al _mi djica [le nuke (do
klama)]_ certigante mankon de dubsenceco.  Algoritmoj regas ankaux la
formadon el vortetoj de spactempaj vortoj; ekzemple:  _puvi_=estis/faris en
cxi tia punkto; _puzu_=estis/faris antaux longtempe; _vuvehu_=granda
tridimensia regiono tie; _vuvehuzaizeho_=pasanta tre proksima al cxi tie.

La origina celo de la loglana -- nome esploro pri la hipotezo de Whorf, ke
lingvoformo enformigas pensmanieron -- dauxras interesi lojxbanistojn.  Cxu
la lojxbana lingvo estas paroleble aux ecx pensebla, ankoraux ne certas;
tamen estas klare, ke multaj uzantoj de la lingvo jam malkovris la ebriigon
de lingva artefarado.

Informoj en la angla lingvo (presitaj kaj surdiskedaj) haveblas kontraux
kostprezo de: The Logical Language Group, 2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax, VA
22031, Usono.

---------
Now, in English for you:

During the past two years, logical language enthusiasts have succeeded in
reviving an experimental language earlier made public by a 1960 article in
the journal _Scientific American_.  Based on the earlier _Loglan_ (a
melding of English words with the meaning "Logical Language"), the
extensively redone _lojbanic_ has not only a fully defined grammar, a basic
vocabulary, and word-forming algorithms, but also an imposing collection of
computer programs for syntactic parsing, learning the vocabulary, and
production of sentences.

Knowledge of mathematical logic is evident in the predicate forms of
lojbanic base-words.  For example, _klama_, used in the form "klama X Y Z"
is defined as "to come/go to X from Y via Z".  Little words _se_, _te_,
_ve_, produce _seklama_ (destination), _teklama_ (origin), and _veklama_
(route).

The sentence _mi djica le nuke do klama_ (word-for-word: "I want the
happening of your coming/going"), according to an algorithm, parses to _mi
djica [le nuke (do klama)]_, ensuring a lack of ambiguity.  Algorithms also
control the formation from little words of space-time words; for example:
_puvi_=was/did at this point; _puzu_=was/did a long time ago; _vuvehu_=big
three-dimensional region there; _vuvehuzaizeho_=passing very close to here.

The original goal of Loglan -- namely exploration about the hypothesis of
Whorf, that language-form affects manner of thought -- continues to
interest lojbanists.  Whether the lojbanic language is speakable or even
thinkable is not yet certain; but it is clear, that many users of the
language have already discovered the intoxication of language invention.

Information in the English language (printed or on disk) are available for
cost-price [?] from: [your address, etc.]