From LOJBAN%CUVMB.bitnet@YaleVM.YCC.YALE.EDU Sat Mar 6 22:52:27 2010 Received: from YALEVM.YCC.YALE.EDU by MINERVA.CIS.YALE.EDU via SMTP; Thu, 1 Apr 1993 06:28:27 -0500 Received: from CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU by YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 3906; Thu, 01 Apr 93 06:27:05 EST Received: from CUVMB.BITNET by CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU (Mailer R2.07) with BSMTP id 4905; Thu, 01 Apr 93 06:21:38 EST Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1993 12:02:34 BST Reply-To: C.J.Fine@BRADFORD.AC.UK Sender: Lojban list From: C.J.Fine@BRADFORD.AC.UK Subject: TECH: only, 'me' To: Erik Rauch Status: OR X-From-Space-Date: Thu Apr 1 06:28:27 1993 X-From-Space-Address: @YaleVM.YCC.YALE.EDU:LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET Message-ID: John Cowan reports: ********************************* Lojbab proposed a discursive (selma'o UI) for "only", since we have so much trouble expressing this handy notion predicatewise. I agree, and propose "exceptionally" as an alternative interpretation. This produces a set of five contrary discursives: ku'i: by contrast, but, however ji'a: additionally, furthermore si'a: similarly mi'u: in parallel, ditto xu'o: exceptionally, uniquely, only *********************************** I am very ambivalent about this. THe repeated difficulty we have had with 'only' does indeed suggest that there is something missing; but the difficulty we have had analysing what, suggests that either something is broken, or 'only' is such a procrustean word that every use is different. There may be a place for "xu'o", but I want to see lot of examples, and I beg that 'only' not be the keyword for it. I have noticed a lot of "ku'i" where I cannot see the contrast, and suspect a mechanical translation of 'but': I would fear the same for "xu'o". At least some uses of 'only' are attributive - the only person who ... and so on. Usinga discursive for this is fudging the issue. As for the place structure and meaning of 'me', I am now thoroughly confused. I believed the place structure was John's 3: 3) x1 pertains to in aspect x2 And thought he was advocating maintaining this. But Bob's response has confused me. He says that the place structure is John's suggestions, but then goes on to argue with John. I don't know where we are. Colin