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 m0qm60S-00005LC; Sat, 17 Sep 94 23:05 EET DST Message-Id: Received: from FINHUTC.HUT.FI by FINHUTC.hut.fi (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 6884; Sat, 17 Sep 94 23:03:41 EET Received: from SEARN.SUNET.SE (NJE origin MAILER@SEARN) by FINHUTC.HUT.FI (LMail V1.1d/1.7f) with BSMTP id 6880; Sat, 17 Sep 1994 23:03:41 +0200 Received: from SEARN.SUNET.SE (NJE origin LISTSERV@SEARN) by SEARN.SUNET.SE (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 6395; Sat, 17 Sep 1994 22:02:27 +0200 Date: Sat, 17 Sep 1994 16:04:17 EDT Reply-To: jorge@PHYAST.PITT.EDU Sender: Lojban list From: Jorge Llambias Subject: any and all X-To: lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu To: Veijo Vilva Content-Length: 1104 Lines: 31 la djer cusku di'e > There has to be a way to say: "I need any box whatsoever." > __________________________________________________________________________ > I think the below sentences translate this accurately. The style is > another question. > > 1. roda tanxe da inaja mi nitcu da roda zo'u tu'e da tanxe inaja mi nitcu da tu'u > For all X: X is a box implies I need X. > If X is a box, I need it. > > 2.roda poi tanxe ku'o mi nitcu da roda poi tanxe zo'u mi nitcu da > For all X which is a box, I need X Those say "I need every box". But I need only one, so they can't be equivalent to "I need any box". > I would say too that the word "any" does give rise to > a number of problems of ambiguity in English and carrying it over to > lojban might be a problem there. I agree we shouldn't just have a word that means "any". What we need is something to translate some of the things that can be said in English using the word "any", and that seemingly can't be said in Lojban. (There might be a way to say it using the existing words. If so, I'd like to know what it is.) Jorge