Re: [lojban-beginners] Help! The Xorlo are attacking!

[Jorge Llambías <jjllambias@gmail.com>]

On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 6:34 PM, Whipsnerd Lhooser
<synaptic.explosion@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Alright. I am new to Lojban, but extremely interested in learning it. I am
> confused about several issues concerning xorlo (or gadri [i'm not sure
> which]).

It must be gadri. xorlo is so simple that it can't possibly confuse anyone. :)

> Could someone please define the following (and give an example of its usage
> if appropriate):
> xorlo:

xorlo: Doctrine that says that "lo" is the only gadri you ever need.
Do not use any other gadri from selma'o LE.

"xorla" would be the parallel doctrine that "la" is the only gadri you
ever need from selma'o LA, but I don't want to confuse you with new
coinages.

> gadri:

It means "article". For example "the" and "a(n)" are articles in
English. Lojban is simpler than English, because you only need one.

> lei:
> lai:
>
> In addition to this I will now post my understood definition/gloss of la,
> le, lo, and loi. I ask that someone please tell me if these are correct or
> fix them if they are not.
>
> la: Used only for cmene; Is the article which immediately proceeds a cmene

Right.

> and designates it as specific. (i.e. la bil. equates to a specific
> thing/person whose name is Bill.)

No need to add this part. If there were non-specific cmene, "la" would
also work for them.

> le: Used to denote a specific thing/instance in the mind of the speaker. For
> example: le gerku refers to a specific dog which I have in mind. This could
> be my dog, the dog down the street, or the dog which bit me four years ago
> which I am currently thinking about.

Yes, but you don't need to use it if you don't want to. In other
words, you could use "lo gerku poi batci mi pu za lo nanca be li vo"
to refer to the dog that bit you four years ago.

> lo: Utilized to introduce a non-specific thing/instance. lo gerku refers to
> some dog in general

Yes, among other things. It can also be used to introduce a very
specific instance.

> loi: Shows that a number of nonspecific things act/exist as a group. loi ci
> gerku, for instance, are three dogs of an unimportant
> description/origin/etc. which function as a group.

It shows that whatever you say of the group applies to the group as a
whole, it need not apply to each of the members. But you don't need to
use it, "lo" can be used to say things about several things together
too.

> Thank you for your time and assistance,
> koltr. mykarti, (Is this the correctly lojbanized form of my name, Colter
> McCarty?)

At least it's "a" correctly Lojbanized form, yes. See, in Lojban we
wouldn't have had to make that distinction. :)

mu'o mi'e xorxes