From LOJBAN@CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU Thu Sep 25 23:05:25 1997
Message-Id: <199709260405.XAA05516@locke.ccil.org>
Date: Thu Sep 25 23:05:25 1997
Reply-To: JORGE JOAQUIN LLAMBIAS <jorge@INTERMEDIA.COM.AR>
Sender: Lojban list <LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET>
From: JORGE JOAQUIN LLAMBIAS <jorge@INTERMEDIA.COM.AR>
Subject:      ei, einai
X-To:         lojban <lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu>
To: John Cowan <cowan@LOCKE.CCIL.ORG>
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cu'u la djan
> Does
>
>        .ei mi na klama
>
>mean that I am not obliged to come, or that I am obliged not
>to come, or what?

Surely it's the second!  We have the following possibilities:


        ei mi klama
        I must come.

        ei mi na klama
        I must not come.

        einai mi klama
        I don't have to come.
        (I may not come.)

        einai mi na klama
        I don't have to not come.
        (I may come.)

Unfortunately "einai" is glossed as "freedom" in the cmavo list,
which would reverse the meaning of last two. "Freedom to do
something" is not the same as "non-obligation to do something",
but rather it is "non-obligation to NOT do something". I don't
think that the "nai" of "einai" should have this double negative
implication, so I propose to fix the gloss in the cmavo list.

co'o mi'e xorxes