Message-Id: <199310042116.AA25995@eli.CS.YALE.EDU>
Date:         Mon, 4 Oct 1993 17:11:34 EDT
Reply-To: jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU
Sender: Lojban list <LOJBAN%CUVMB.bitnet@YaleVM.YCC.YALE.EDU>
From: Jorge Llambias <jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: TECH: local unit gismu, hierarchical place structures
To: Erik Rauch <rauch>
Status: RO

>
> mi'e je'abo la lojbab.
>
> >I agree that the x3 place defaults to 0, but I think that the x4 place
> >is required to know what the x3 place really means.  Some may consider
> >the furlong to be the "first subunit" for the mile; others may have
> >other choices.  I also don't see how there can be an arbitrary number of
> >subunit places following x3, since x4 is nailed down as the standard.
>
> On the basis of this argument, I would accept that any subunit places
> should follow the standard place, moving the latter to x3.  There
> certainly need not be something special about two levels of unit/subunit
> (though it does seem that at least in English measurements we seldom
> specify more than two even when there exist more.

I think John's method of using {pi'e} looks much better.

> If people want this change, I will change all five local unit gismu
> identically.

I agree that moving the standard to x3 is better. This will make using
the following subunits so awkward, that hopefully nobody will use them,
and they will naturally fall off. :)


Jorge