From LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET Sat Mar 6 22:59:09 2010 Reply-To: Chris A Bogart Sender: Lojban list Date: Tue Nov 12 11:48:05 1996 From: Chris A Bogart Subject: Re: JBO: CONLANG: Conlang Travelers's Phrasebook X-To: lojban%cuvmb.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu To: John Cowan In-Reply-To: <199611081741.KAA05783@indra.com> X-UIDL: d07c49e733a522d6538ce23bd74ee06d X-Mozilla-Status: 0011 Content-Length: 1737 X-From-Space-Date: Tue Nov 12 11:48:05 1996 X-From-Space-Address: - Message-ID: The phrasebook is a great idea! I have a few nitpicks, though... On Fri, 8 Nov 1996, Don Wiggins wrote: > > 2. How are you? (or similar greeting question) > .i do mo > You what-predication? How people use vague questions like this will probably end up being a matter of usage. Something like "xu do gleki" or something might work too??? > > 7. Where is... > .i ... zvati ma > ... at where? > > > a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)? > lo vimku'a > the excretion-room For these to work you'll need either "cu" before "zvati" or "ku" after each of the alternatives, otherwise you'll get "lo vimku'a zvati ma", in which "vimku'a zvati" forms a tanru, and the sentence no verb. > > 8. I'm sorry. > .i .u'u > Repentance! Hmmm... again a matter of usage, but I would think of "u'u" as being more like "oops" -- repentent without necessarly apologizing. Maybe "ga'inai .u'u" or just "xenru"?? > > 12. I don't speak [language X] very well. > .i mi na certu lenu tavla folo jbobau > I not expert the-event-of talking in the Lojbanic-language Alternatively, "mi na certu se jbobau" or even "mi na certu lojbo". DOn't forget to use places that don't have English equivalents! > > 14. Speak more slowly please. > .i e'o do masno tavla > Request! you slowly talk The "do" could be optional, since it would be clear in context. My own lojban style tends to avoid pronouns. > > 22. Our customs are very different from yours. > .i lo tcaci be mi'a lo tcaci be do frica mutce > The customs of us the customs of you differ much Or, "mi'a do frica mutce lo tcaci" co'o mi'e kris cbogart@quetzal.com