From - Thu Dec 19 12:26:19 1996 Reply-To: Pycyn@AOL.COM Date: Thu Dec 19 12:26:19 1996 Sender: Lojban list From: "John E. Clifford" Subject: Re: PLI: zoigy. unless .gy. xelfanva lu secau X-To: lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu To: John Cowan X-UIDL: 164dc1717370be8657db83b2e79a959c Status: U X-Mozilla-Status: 0011 Content-Length: 710 Message-ID: I missed the start of this one, but, while there is often causality implied, the basic meaning of "unless" is just "or," lojban {a} or the appropriate related form (including, as the occasion demands, {onoi}). The problem with causality is that it is not symmetric, whereas "unless" can at least function in either direction: against your cases, "He will come, unless his car breaks down," where the car not breaking down is not the cause of his coming, but the car breaking down would be the cause of his not coming. But more importantly, unless does not allow the assertion of one of the alternatives while the other is subordinated; neither is asserted, unlike the examples you give. >|83