[lojban-beginners] A suggestion for the Lojban names of weekdays and months.

[Jonathan Jones <eyeonus@gmail.com>]

(I'm double-posting this to both lojban lists, please respond on the beginner's.)
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Days:
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A discussion about the names of the weekdays was recently held in the thread "[lojban] la za'e filjvocedra (The Age of Easy Lujvo)", about the pros and cons of the two current methods of naming the days of the week - one based on numbers, the other on concepts. {pavdei} "1-day" = {lurdei} "moon-day", to provide an example.

In this discussion, .xorxes. pointed out that the current number method is anti-intuitive, because it seems as though, for example {mumdei} would mean "five days", not "fifth day". As corollary, he pointed out two examples: {reljeftu}, "fortnight", and {mumymentu}, "five minutes". To quote him, "[T]he place structure of {djedi} screams for 'N-dei' to mean {djedi be li N}, not {djedi me'e li N}."

Personally, I found this to be a very convincing argument against the use of {pavdei} et al. as names of weekdays. It is also, if I am correct, his main reason for preferring the concept way.

I, on the other hand, do not like the concept method, for the simple reason that I really, really like having a systematic method, and that is anything but. After more discussion, I came up with the following, which is agreeable to both .xorxes. and me.

It's actually basically the exact same thing as {pavdei}, etc., except backwards. So, they would be:

{djeno} "0-day"/{djeze} "7-day" = Sunday
{djepa} "1-day" = Monday
{djere} "2-day" = Tuesday
{djeci} "3-day" = Wednesday
{djevo} "4-day" = Thursday
{djemu} "5-day" = Friday
{djexa} "6-day" = Saturday

All eight of the above words have the exact same meaning as both current methods: "x1 is a [weekday name] of week x2 in month x3"

The benefits of this method are that it is logical, systematic, and doesn't conflict with spans (as in {mumdei} = "a five day span").

The con is, obviously, they take up 8 spots in gismu space, which may or may not be an atrocity, depending on your viewpoint.

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Months:
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Through further discussion, we have also come up with a really good method for month-naming. Currently, the only Lojban words we have for the months are cmevla, i.e. {.pamast.}, {.remast.}, etc. .xorxes. came up with a really good alternative, similar to my idea with the weeks, for each of the months, which are the following fu'ivla, based around {lunra}:

{lunrapa} "1-month" = January
{lunrare} "2-month" = February
{lunraci} "3-month" = March
{lunravo} "4-month" = April
{lunramu} "5-month" = May
{lunraxa} "6-month" = June
{lunraze} "7-month" = July
 {lunrabi} "8-month" = August
 {lunraso} "9-month" = September
{lunradau} "10-month" = October
{lunrafei} "11-month" = November
{lunragai} "12-month" = December

This has the advantage over the current cmevla method in that, being fu'ivla, we can give them place structure and use them in all the ways cmene can NOT be used. I don't see any cons at all, but I may be mistaken.

Since it is .xorxes. idea, I direct you to him for the proposed definitions, although I'm certain that it will begin "x1 is month N ...."

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In conclusion, it is my desire to inform the whole of jbogugde about these ideas and to get feedback , and to possibly confuse you lot to start using them whenever you are talking about days of the week or about months.

Feedback, suggestions, criticisms, praise, and flaming are all welcome and appreciated. :D

(I'm double-posting this to both lojban lists, please respond on the beginner's.)

-- 
mu'o mi'e .aionys.

.i.a'o.e'e ko cmima le bende pe lo pilno be denpa bu .i doi luk. mi patfu do zo'o
(Come to the Dot Side! Luke, I am your father. :D )

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