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 m0r2fR0-00005YC; Wed, 2 Nov 94 15:09 EET Message-Id: Received: from FINHUTC.HUT.FI by FINHUTC.hut.fi (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 9351; Wed, 02 Nov 94 15:09:12 EET Received: from SEARN.SUNET.SE (NJE origin MAILER@SEARN) by FINHUTC.HUT.FI (LMail V1.1d/1.7f) with BSMTP id 9347; Wed, 2 Nov 1994 15:09:12 +0200 Received: from SEARN.SUNET.SE (NJE origin LISTSERV@SEARN) by SEARN.SUNET.SE (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9979; Wed, 2 Nov 1994 14:06:06 +0100 Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994 08:06:42 EST Reply-To: bob@GNU.AI.MIT.EDU Sender: Lojban list From: bob@GNU.AI.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: singular and plural X-To: lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu To: Veijo Vilva In-Reply-To: <9411020530.AA01042@albert.gnu.ai.mit.edu> (jorge@phyast.pitt.edu) Content-Length: 1115 Lines: 29 jorge@phyast.pitt.edu cuska di'e I don't see why we would want to have both {le} and {lo} as singular terms, and no simple quantifier expression. ... Because Lojban does *not* consider singular and plural to be primary. In English and in most people's interpretations of logical expressions, number is primary. Lojban is different. The primary distinction in Lojban is between `that which I designate in my head' and `that which is real according to the epistimology and context of the conversation'. lo tanxe is at least one box because it is real and things which do not exist are not real, at least not in the context of this and most other Lojban list dialogs. le tanxe is likely to be (but is not necessarily) at least one something because I tend not to designate a thing as a box unless the thing designated is real, although that thing may not be a box, again in the epistemology and context of the dialog. Robert J. Chassell bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu 25 Rattlesnake Mountain Road bob@grackle.stockbridge.ma.us Stockbridge, MA 01262-0693 USA (413) 298-4725