Re: [lojban] Re: lojban as an auxiliary language

[Pierre Abbat <phma@phma.hn.org>]

On Sunday 04 September 2005 20:09, Brandon Wirick wrote:
> I was under the impression that lujvo were vague, not ambiguous. A
> {gerzda} is some sort of nest/house/dwelling with some sort of
> dog-like aspect to it, right? It is not necessarily a doghouse as
> English-speakers understand the term.

A {gerzda} is a dwelling inhabited by, or intended for, a dog. A house shaped 
like a dog, or a house which is a dog, is not {gerzda} (unless there is a dog 
living in it). Those are {gerku zdani}, though. A cave inhabited by dingos is 
{gerzda}, though it wouldn't be called a "doghouse" in English.

We have some lujvo that don't follow the rule. For instance, a {xajyfi'e} 
(calque of "porpoise") is neither a pig nor a fish.

phma