Re: [lojban-beginners] How to say "I have (only) one brother"?

[Jacob Errington <nictytan@gmail.com>]

On 4 March 2014 00:30, MystyrNile a <mystyrnile@gmail.com> wrote:

I understand now that that is how it works, but if "ro" and "pa" combine with other members of PA differently, then how can they be considered members of the same selma'o?

They behave the same way grammatically, but their interpretation, which is a semantic feature not governed directly by the grammar, depends on the exact words used. The CLL describes these interpretations:

Another possibility is that of combining definite and indefinite numbers into a single number. This usage implies that the two kinds of numbers have the same value in the given context:

8.18)  mi viska le rore gerku
       I saw the all-of/two dogs.
       I saw both dogs.

8.19)  mi speni so'ici prenu
       I am-married-to many/three persons.
       I am married to three persons (which is “many” in the circumstances).

(Chapter 18, section 8, at the bottom.)

Some lojbanists extend these interpretations in many different directions, but those usages are (sadly) nonstandard. The general rule that we can discern from this CLL excerpt is that when an exact number and an inexact number are sequenced, then the result is as if these numbers were logically connected with {.e}.

.i mi'e la tsani mu'o

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