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[lojban-beginners] A seemingly simple sentence with layered complexity
A square has four equal sides.
{lo kubykurfa se pagbu vo dunli korbi} is an almost literal translation, but I feel like it's unacceptably vague for lojban.
Starting with choices of translations for the word "square": {kurfa} is not precise enough, as it can mean rectangle, {kubykurfa} could mean cube, but not unless context or an explicit dimension place indicate it, and {pitkubykurfa} is necessarily planar.
ta'o {sa'orkurfa} seems like a horrible word to mean rhombus/diamond, since {kurfa} has right angles but not necessarily equal sides, and a rhombus has necessarily equal sides but not necessarily right angles.
ta'onai {kubykurfa} seems to be a good choice to mean "square".
The English "has" means "is made up of", so {pagbu} and {gunma} seem to be the reasonable choices. I can't figure out which one is more appropriate. ji'a, both seem to lack the implication that the parts are all there is, va'i we're not talking about a hexagon with side-lengths 4,4,4,4,2,1 (maybe {vo broda noi dunli}).
Next, what should I use for "equal"? li'a I need {dunli}, but should I use it as part of a tanru or in a subordinate clause in a tanru logical connection, or something else?
Now for "sides", {korbi} and {mlana} seem to be the obvious choices, but neither seems quite right.
Any suggestions?
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