Return-Path: <@FINHUTC.HUT.FI:LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET> Received: from FINHUTC.hut.fi by xiron.pc.helsinki.fi with smtp (Linux Smail3.1.28.1 #1) id m0qVFx5-000023C; Tue, 2 Aug 94 12:16 EET DST Message-Id: Received: from FINHUTC.HUT.FI by FINHUTC.hut.fi (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 7895; Tue, 02 Aug 94 12:14:37 EET Received: from SEARN.SUNET.SE (NJE origin MAILER@SEARN) by FINHUTC.HUT.FI (LMail V1.1d/1.7f) with BSMTP id 7891; Tue, 2 Aug 1994 12:14:37 +0200 Received: from SEARN.SUNET.SE (NJE origin LISTSERV@SEARN) by SEARN.SUNET.SE (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 7280; Tue, 2 Aug 1994 11:13:41 +0200 Date: Tue, 2 Aug 1994 05:14:30 -0400 Reply-To: Logical Language Group Sender: Lojban list From: Logical Language Group Subject: Re: TECH: Comparisons X-To: veion@XIRON.PC.HELSINKI.FI X-cc: lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu To: Veijo Vilva Content-Length: 1059 Lines: 20 Your comments on comparison are quite astute, especially when talking from a pure Lojbanic perspective. The choices that are commonly made in comparisons, are, however, generally based on the native language version. If I am translating "I like A more than B" into Lojban, then the form I choose ideally should be your ii or iii since there is little implicature tyhat I like B at all. Only context will indicate whether I like A at all. Another option besides your suggestions, to blend the two forms is mi nelci ti(XX) nesemau ta (XX) where XX is an attitudinal indicating preference (the a'u scale, .oinai scale, .ui scale and .iu scale among others could apply -or we might just use the scalar ranging from "cai" to "naicai" and be non-specific). Since most Lojban thus far is translated from other languages, the forms chosen will tend to be more mechanical translations of what is said and its possibly unknown implicatures. Lojbanists writing fresh stuff in Lojban may indeed want to use more 'logical' forms that express what they really mean.