[lojban] Re: names of the elements

[Pierre Abbat <lojban-out@lojban.org>]

On Sunday 29 August 2004 16:08, Zefram wrote:
> My opinion is that names of type 3 should not exist; they should be
> replaced by type 5 names.  Also, type 4 names are suspect; some appear
> to be mistaken, and should probably be of type 5.  I also encourage the
> coining of type 2 names in place of type 1 names, because fu'ivla are
> not amenable to lujvo formation.

Type 3 fu'ivla are, as long as they end in one vowel (see valfendi, which 
implements the fu'ivla rafsi tests), but some type 4 fu'ivla, such as 
{mlibdena}, are not. But we can always use {zei}.

> errors
> ------
>
> The names of the elements I've identified with "*" in the list above
> appear to be outright errors.
>
> Germanium is named {dotyjinme} "German metal", but germanium is
> not in fact a metal.  Following the form of name used for the other
> metalloids, it should be {dotjicmu} "German element".  Similarly,
> polonium {jinmrpoloni} should be {jicmrpoloni}.

Fixed

> The three group names {kliru} (halogen), {navni} (noble gas), and {sodna}
> (alkali metal) are each used unmodified to refer to their prototypical
> element (Cl, Ne, Na, respectively).  These words thus have a different
> place structure from all the other element names, and semantics that
> I think make them unsuitable for this use.  Specific names should be
> coined for these three elements.  I suggest {ri'okliru} "green halogen"
> for Cl and {ninynavni} "new noble gas" for Ne, in each case matching
> the English etymology to create a type 5 name.  I suggest {silnysodna}
> "salt alkali-metal" for Na, which is a type 2 name.

Fixed. I'm not sure {silnysodna} is good, as "salt" in chemistry refers to a 
wide variety of ionic compounds, not just sodium chloride. {ri'orkliru} is a 
very minimal pair with {li'orkliru}, and CJKs are going to fly lice.

> questionable etymologies
> ------------------------
>
> Flourine: {li'orkliru} "light halogen" is a good name, but the etymology
> suggests {fleklira} "flow halogen".

{li'orkliru} is from oldlog.txt.

> Calcium: {bogjinme} "bone metal" is a good name.  The English etymology
> refers to "lime", for which we have no convenient word.
>
> Chromium: {rogjinme} "shiny metal" is a reasonable name, but the etymology
> suggests {skaryjinme} "colour metal".
>
> Bromine: {xunkliru} "red halogen" is a reasonable name, but the etymology
> suggests {sumnrkliru} "smell halogen".
>
> Indium: {xinjinme} "Indian metal" looks like a misunderstanding.
> The name "indium" comes from the indigo emission line, and has nothing
> to do with India.  So I suggest {blanyjinme} "blue metal".

Fixed.

> Xenon: {ciznavni} "strange noble gas" is OK but smells of malglico.
> {fangynavni} "foreign noble gas" is closer to the English etymology.

Fixed.

> Tungsten: {gusyciljinme} "illumination filament metal" is an unnecessary
> and somewhat awkward neologism.  "tung sten" is Swedish for "heavy stone",
> which would yield {tijro'ijinme}.  If a neologism is preferred, I suggest
> {jarjinme} "hard metal", which alludes to more of tungsten's uses.

Fixed.

> unnecessary fu'ivla
> -------------------
>
> Here are a couple of suggestions for type 5 names to replace type 3 names:
>
> Ruthenium: {rukyjinme} "Russian metal"

Fixed.

> Rhodium: {zgujinme} "rose metal"

Fixed.

> Caesium: {blanysodna} "blue alkali metal"

Fixed.

I also added Db-Ds; I'm not sure what to do with "ntg" in Rg. Last time I went 
to Germany my luggage came back with stickers saying "Gepäckstück geröntgt", 
which I still have trouble pronouncing.

phma

-- 
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