Re: [lojban] RECORD:translating names

["Bob LeChevalier (lojbab)" <lojbab@lojban.org>]

At 12:16 PM 04/12/2000 -0400, pycyn@aol.com wrote:
> Names taken from a particular language try to mimic that language as closely
> as possible in Lojban, even to the point of violating some Lojban rules.
> Thus, the Lojban name for the capital of Russia might well be Moskvas (old
> habits die hard) despite the usual illegality of -kv- in Lojban.

I'm not sure I agree with this one, especially since in the case in point, 
Russian phonotactics rules dictate a Lojbanizable form for the name, by 
making voicing agree with the final consonant of the group.  This then 
comes down to whether the written or spoken form takes precedence - if the 
Russians will pronounce it "la mozgvas", should the spelling agree with 
tradition or with the spoken form.  Most languages go with traditional 
spelling but evolutionary pronunciation, but I don't think Lojban should 
because of the importance of audiovisual isomorphism.

lojbab
----
lojbab                                             lojbab@lojban.org
Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-1303 USA                    703-385-0273
Artificial language Loglan/Lojban:  http://www.lojban.org (newly updated!)