Message-Id: <9202112322.AA21309@relay2.UU.NET>
Date:         Tue, 11 Feb 1992 18:03:43 -0500
Reply-To: Logical Language Group <cbmvax!uunet!cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu!lojbab>
Sender: Lojban list <cbmvax!uunet!cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu!LOJBAN>
From: Logical Language Group <cbmvax!uunet!cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu!lojbab>
Subject:      Re:  word spacing in Lojban
To: John Cowan <cowan@snark.thyrsus.com>
Status: RO

In Lojban speech, spaces, as meaning pauses, are allowed only between words.
In Lojban text, only fully marked Lojban (with stress and syllabification
shown) can be written as a spaceless stream.  The resolution of brivla
requires knowledge of which is the penultimate syllable determined by stress.
Without stress being marked, as most people do, you cannot freely write
words together.

Now before a brivla, you can theoretical p{repend cmavo like Dave did, say
that text, and it will fall apart into separate words.  However "secmene"
is still "se cmene", and not the lujvo "selcmene".  The problem with writing
words together irregularly, is that there is no Lojban spelling checker, and
many people who make typos and even a more serious error or two once in a
while.  If I see something like "secmene", I presume that it is a typo.
Thus I urge people to stick to standard conventions unless they seriously
are trying to set up a new convention, in which case some advance notice
of intent is usuually in order.  I don;t think Dave was trying for this.

lojbab