[lojban-beginners] Re: xelfanva

[Pierre Abbat <phma@phma.optus.nu>]

On Monday 12 January 2009 19:17:06 Minimiscience wrote:
> coi certu
>
> There are a number of short quotations that I've been working on
> translating into Lojban for a while, and now that nearly all of them are
> arguably complete, I'd like to ask the community to proofread them.  My
> primary source of uncertainty with the translations is the vocabulary used,
> though there may also be some grammatical problems lurking within them. 
> The quotations are a mix of pop culture references and random obscure
> maxims that I like.  The only thing I'm planning on doing with them is
> adding them to my Lojbanic signature file, which is in dire need of
> expansion.
>
> The quotations & translations are as follows:
>
> "In Lojbanistan, language mangles you!"
>  - vi la lojbangug. lo bangu cu daspo do
>  - Is "{vi}" the right word to use here?

I'd say "ne'i" or "sedi'o". "tonspo" is more specific.

> "All Lojban is divided into three parts [i.e., three types of words]."
>  - piro la lojban. selterfendi lo cimei
>  - I'm not clear on whether the x3 of "{fendi}" is a mass, a quantity of
>    individuals, or a set; should a "{se}" or "{te}" be inserted before
>    "{cimei}"?

I'd say "piro la lojban. se fendi fi ci da". There's no indication in the 
gimste whether x3 of "fendi" is a complete specification or a part. If it is 
a part, then {se fendi fi ci da} is correct: there exists all Lojban such 
that there are three parts such that it is divided into them. (Not sure 
if "there exists all" is right. Usually it's "for all", but that's "ro", 
not "piro".)

> "The most essential right of man is the right to question."
>  - lo traji jicmu selzi'e be loi remna du lo selzi'e po'u lonu senpi

Not sure how to translate that right, but it needs "cu" before "du" to make a 
complete sentence.

> "I eat spaghetti for breakfast."
>  - mi citka loi cidjrspageti fi'o sanmi lo cersai

I prefer "spageti" or "grusko".

Enough for now. I have to sleep.

Pierre