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Nick's Second Coffeehouse Text
I have to admit that Nick Nicholas's proposals to use bracketting
to make it easier for a reader to figure out a complex text structure
might be useful, or even necessary, for Nick's writings. The
following is Nick's submission for the ckafybarja project, an
elaborate and stylistically complex character study.
I said that I would print all ckafybarja submissions so they can
be evaluated by the community, but this one came close to making me
break that pledge. I have to admit that I could not read the Lojban,
even with the bracketting that Nick inserted 'to make it easier'.
Indeed, the things he marked woth brackets were among the easier
structures to understand, even when his brackets were misleading as to
the structure. I'm printing Nick's piece, but no Lojbanist should
feel ashamed if they cannot follow it.
Unfortunately for Nick, I agree with Nora that Lojban's
audiovisual isomorphism requires that the grammar be understandable
based on what is supplied in the words themselves. Lojban's design
presumes that all 'punctuation' is spoken. As such, any punctuation
that is inserted to make a text easier to read must be algorithmically
derivable from the text structure itself. The bracketting that Nick
included in the following text had no obvious explanation that could
allow me to predict when he felt it to be useful, and when he felt it
unimportant to include. Furthermore, Nick has the tendency to write
many cmavo as compounds when there is neither a grammatical link
between the words, nor a common English word as translation. In some
cases, adding bracketting to indicate complex phrase structure in
accordance with the Lojban grammar would have meant adding brackets in
the middle of Nick's compounds. Thus, my efforts to format Nick's
text, constrained by my insistance on limiting marks to those allowed
by audiovisual isomorphism, may not have helped much.
I removed all of Nick's markings, prior to inserting my own
efforts to structure the text. I then inserted those markers that I
could come up with simple algorithmic rules for (I did this manually,
so there may be some inconsistencies). New sentences are marked with
an equals sign (=), per Nick's suggestion, and I also left 3 spaces
before the mark. I added quotation marks, parentheses (and brackets
for parentheses marked as editorial), and question marks for question
words and exclamation points for attitudinals. I figured any more
marks would make the text simply too punctuated, and indeed in places
it seems to have exceeded reason already.
Nick's text unfortunately gave few clues for paragraphing. Nick
used "ni'o" only at the beginning of each section, and the result was
a block of Lojban that was extremely hard to read, even with the
forest of punctuation marks. Nick's use of quotation made it
impossible to try to follow English-like practices of starting new
quotations in a new paragraph. He has quotations in the beginning of
sentences, in the middle of sentences, at the end of sentences, and in
some places he has a series of alternating quotes and names in a
single sentence that a Lojban reader must take only as a random series
of sumti, since no grammar suggests the relation between names and
quotations. (Nick is working on a Prolog Lojban interpreter,
described elsewhere in this issue; I really wish that he would think
about how his sylistic experiments would be understood by such an
interpreter. .oiro'e). Nick's parentheses also are structurally
confusing - a parenthetical note attaches as a free modifier to the
previous word, and I thus often had no idea why he put his
parentheticals where he did, even after looking at the English.
I finally decided to double indent paragraphs, and single indent
new sentences that were immediately followed by a start of quotation
mark or which immediately followed after a quotation ended. This
seems something an automatic algorithm can do, and it helped a little
in making the text easier on the eyes, if not on the brain.
I also expanded Nick's compounds unless they are compounds that
would be joined by the lexer component of the Lojban parser and
sometimes I expand those, since lexer compounds can be arbitrarily
long), or unless they are of patterns that have traditionally been
written as compounds in Loglan/Lojban writings like "lenu" and "lemi",
and "leca" (which usually means that they have a simple English word
or phrase in translation that makes it easy to think of the compound
as a unit). I also generally separated indicators from the words they
follow, whereas Nick generally writes them as compounds. I did all
these changes because, if a Lojban dictionary is going to be useful,
we are going to have to make it easy to decide what is a 'word' to be
looked up in the dictionary. If a compound word appears in text, it
needs to be a dictionary entry, because writing several cmavo as a
single word suggests that the compound somehow forms a gestalt that
cannot be obviously determined from examining the components.
(Sometimes Nick's compounds actually grossly misrepresented the
underlying grammar, at least one of the compounds he wrote,
"na'igo'i", consisted of an attitudinal followed by a selbri.
Attitudinals always modify leftwards, instead of rightwards, so I had
to spend some time trying to figure out if this was a mismade lujvo.)
Making these changes wasn't easy, but was quite necessary. All
efforts to process text automatically run afoul of these compounds,
and I personally found some of them hard to distinguish from lujvo
(which I had to check individually for updating to the new rafsi).
Until someone convinces me differently, I am going to take a
hard-nosed attitude towards text structure. Keep your style simple
enough that the rules of the language convey what they are supposed
to. I hope Nick and everyone else forgives what I did to his text,
but if nothing else, we may be able to reach some agreements for the
future on standards for text submission and for editing.
Nick's character sketches are certainly interesting, even if you
need to read the English text. Good luck to those who try the Lojban!
All footnotes are by Lojbab, except where marked otherwise.
kafybarja #2
pamo'o
lu go'e =.ibaboke'u ko'u bacru lu ko seljde loi mabru li'u
li'u
=.i lei puze'a tirna cu milxe ke se cfipu cmila =.i la paul.
bacru lu mabru tcini .!u'iru'e li'u gi'e cevni melbi co dasni lo
xekri birtu'ucau .!i'ero'u nercreka =.i ge lerci tcika vi le barja
gi carmi melbi co xekri fa le tsani za'a loi selca'o nenri prenu =.i
so'o ve barja mo'u cliva =.i la lizbet. na'e go'i cadykei be le
xekri tedykre1 be la paul. kalsa be'o se mlifanza cisma no'e zanru le
xajmi =.ivu.!u'esaibo ti'e xekri kalsa tu'a loi juntytri .!ii poi
vlipa joi vlile joi ke daspo joi finti vau .!u'e =.i ki vive'i
kamjikca simsa go'i .!i'unai no'i la liz. dasni lo grusi notcreka (to
le no'a cu se kanla loi danmo blanu za'a toi) be lu lenu prami cu
ca'e nu nelci carmi se trina lo prenu ju nakni ju fetsi vau !pa'ero'a
li'u ne loi lerfu co xekri =.i mi (to lego'i cu se kerfa loi na'e
kalsa za'a toi) cairmau me leli'i grusi =.i grusi fa lemi
plokarlycreka .e le palku .e le kosycreka noi jgena se dasni ru'u le
xadmidju =.i su'o prenu cu ba'anaika'uta'o sanga bacru lu =.i
RUSpre ce RUSta'u ce rusxirXEMkla li'u
=.i na'i go'i sa'e =.i {lu'e ry. ce'o .ubu ce'o sy.}2 cu ka'u
drani se basti {lu'e xy. ce'o. ebu ce'o ky. ce'o ry. ce'o .ybu}
=.ita'ocu'i su'u xekri kei vi le kafybarja
ni'oremo'o su'o bevri cu .!a'acu'i masno kasydzu zo'i loi ve
barja =.i la paul. cu tavla (to le no'a mebri cu jurja'o =.i le
laurxampre pu'i vlipa .!i'e.i'onai cei bu'a3 toi) fi leli'i gletro
=.i lu =.i mi du'eroi .!u'anaizo'o se gletro =.i mi
purlamcte4 seku'i go'i la liz. .!oinai .!u'i li'u lu =.i ?xu
purpla5 go'i zo'o li'u lu =.ipe'i .!ianai snuti li'u lu =.i la
paul. jikfazgau ?.iepei doi liz. .!u'iru'e li'u lu =.i carmi
jikfazgau ju'o .!iu =.i ko co'u xlapre .!u'i li'u lu =.izo'o
tu'a ko bapli .!e'inai li'u (to bu'a .!o'e fi leka smaji ke lamji
prami joi pendo noi su'anai se mupli na'ebo lecaca'a seltra .!i'o toi)
lu =.i mi le'o go'i li'u
=.i la paul. ce la liz. co'a cisma simtipyda'a ni'a le jubme
=.i la liz. (to gasta bo demxa'e ce margu bo jamfu ce xamsi bo kanla
vau .!io toi) certu lezu'o ca'arcau damba =.i mi se mliburna
ctacarna co na'eke ca'arcau damba certu gi'e zgana le barja ni'o le
paltylu'i6 ku jo'u le jukpa puza cliva =.ija'ebo le barja cu tatpi
smaji =.iji'a le trixe be le barja be'o noi di'i krasi leka to'e
cando gi'e kurfa kei ki'u lepu'u re ru vi ri zdidabysnu (to lu =.i
do te sluji le birka lo mleca be la'e mi .!o'a li'u lu =.i .!e'u
mi'o cipra .!a'e birvrajvi =.i .!ai le pritu =.i do djuno
.!o'ocu'i ledu'u le zunle pe mi tsame'a le pritu birka doi paul. li'u
lu =.i ?xu purpla go'i zo'o li'u toi) tigni fi loi ve barja cu ca
malmliselgu'i ke dukri'a kunti =.i la paul. jinga fi la liz. fe lenu
birvrajvi =.i la liz. go'i fi mi fu'i (to ba'e dukri'a kunti toi)
=.i lerci tcika vi le barja =.i mi'a pu'o jbuboikei
ni'ocimo'o le jatna lu =.i .!a'o do joi le pendo be do cu
xaufri ca leca vanci li'u mi lu =.i go'i .!io =.i ca pamoi zu'o
mi vitke le barja ca lo relmoicte7 =.iza'a .!u'eru'e lei ve barja cu
clira cliva ca le cabdei li'u
=.i le re jibni be mi depcni catlu le jatna =.i le jatna lu
=.i go'i ki'u leka lei cibdei na'o cabdei lenu mutce gunka kei vi levi
tcadu =.ita'o do noi ta'e klama le barja ca lei xavycte cu punai
pe'i penmi la xiron. noi vi sidju li'u
=.i la paul. ce la liz. smaji casnu lenu ri jo'u ra ba litru la'e
le merko =.i le jatna cu degji jarco le clani ke blabi creka
xadyti'e be le cnino be mi gi'e cisma bacru lu =.i .!ai mi bazi
benji ri do ge'e li'u gi'e cliva =.i la liz. bacru lu =.i do
li'a selxagmau8 mi'a tu'a le bangu .!o'o li'u
=.i le re se cimei na lojbo =.i mi lu =.i nu vlipa jivna
zo'o =.i mi jitro joi seltro li'u la paul. lu =.i ca ro nu za'u
prenu cu simfra cu nu vlipa jivna ru'a =.i go'i cu'u la djen.
vecu'u le samsnuci'e =.iseni'ibozo'o. .!iecu'i go'eje'u li'u mi
lu =.i ?xu purpla go'i zo'o li'u la paul. lu le xaupre za'ota'e
bacru lu ?xu purpla li'u li'u mi lu =.i ?xu purpla go'i zo'o
li'u la liz. lu =.i co'a lerci =.i doi paul. do pu nupre lenu
mi'o clira sipna =.i mi cu'urzu'e co bavlamdei li'u la paul. lu
=.i .!u'i ?xu purpla go'i li'u mi lu =.i .!ua mi se sitna li'u
[tosa'a lemu'e sitna na dunli lemu'e xusra =.i la paul. cu nalri'i
bacru do'i9 pe zo simfra gi'u xusra =.i loi cmavo be zo zo'o
na'o banzu lenu lo te sitna lo se xusra cu frica =.i lemu'e mi se
sitna cu te ciste lo pemci joi kelci jenai xusra plitadji be la paul.
bei le bangu bei lenu jikca pluja =.i na nibli fa le nunsitna lenu
morna sinma =.i na nibli na'ebo le sego'i .!u'i =.i mi mutce
mezoto tavla =.i ?xu !se'izo'o purpla go'i toi] la liz. lu malxlu
zo'o li'u
=.i lerci tcika vi le barja =.i mi'a puba'o jbuboikei =.i lei
bevri cu .!a'acu'i masno bo kalsydzu fa'u sutra bo kalsydzu fa'u cando
=.i casnu loi sancrfrikative .e loi relcinpampre girvlici'e .e loi
nalzva pendo ca'o le nicte noi sruri be lo ba'a vu trene co pelxu
gusni nenri pamei ke sirji darno xemkla zmitra ke snura grusi nalkalsa
kunti be'o .!uo xekri
Translation of Nick's Coffeehouse Text
.
"That's right. And then he says, 'Beware of the mammals.'"
Those who have been listening smile with mild confusion. Paul
says "So, it's a mammal kind of situation!", and is godlike-beautiful
in his black tank-top (mmm...). It's late in the cafe, and the night
is pitch-beautiful dark to those inside, on the other side of the
window. A few cafe patrons have already left. Lizbet, who hasn't,
toys with the chaos of Paul's hair, smiling slightly annoyed in
disapproval of the joke. Far, far away, I hear, there are black
chaoses of gravity, that strongly and violently both destroy and
create! Right here and now, social-wise, something similar is
happening...
Now, Liz is wearing a grey T-shirt (her eyes are smoky blue, I
see), saying "Love is an intense fondness and attraction to a person
whether male or female!" in black letters. I (her hair is not a
chaos) am more into greyness. Grey are my shirt and my pants and my
sweater tied around my waist. It has been sung, I recall, in my
culture: "For grey he was, and grey he wore, and grey too was his
steed." Actually, not precisely so. The string "G.R.E.Y." should be
replaced with the string "B.L.A.C.K.".
To sum up (or to expand!), there's a blackness going on in the
cafe.
II
Waiters, I suppose, are ambling slowly past the patrons. Paul is
talking (his brow looks serious. The loud joker has been known to
show strength - how I envy!) on topping. "I get topped too often, I'm
afraid. But I did top Liz last night! Hehehe!" "On purpose? :) " "Oh,
I think it was an accident!" "Paul is being a pest, don't you think
so, Liz?" "Quite a pest! Stop being a bastard, love!" "Oh yeah? Make
me!" (... he has been known to show strength in a quiet, close
love/friendship - which is not exemplified by this behavior in
particular!) "I will!"
Paul and Liz start smilingly kicking each other under the table.
Liz (fists of steel, legs of mercury, eyes of the sea...) is an expert
in self-defence. I, not being an expert in self-defence, turn around
in slight embarrassment and observe the cafe.
The dish-washer and the cook have left. As a result the cafe is
tired-quiet. Also, the back of the cafe, normally the source of
bustling and comfort because of the two of them debated there for our
-
("Your biceps are smaller than mine! Ha!"
"Yeah? Let's test them! Arm-wrestle. The right! You know my
left is weaker than my right, Paul!" "On purpose? :) " )
- amusement, is now ill-lit, and anguishingly empty. Paul beats
Liz at arm-wrestling. Liz beats me, surprise surprise. (Anguishingly
empty.) It's late at the cafe. We're about to play pool.
III
The Manager: "I hope you and your friends are enjoying the
evening?" Me: "Indeed, sir. This is the first time I've been at the
cafe on a Tuesday. I see the patrons are leaving early today!" My two
neighbors patiently look at the manager. The Manager: "That's because
Wednesdays get quite busy in this town. By the way, since you usually
come into the bar on Saturday nights, you will not have met Xiron10,
who has been helping out here."
Paul and Liz are quietly talking about their trip to the States.
The Manager points out to me the long, white-shirted back of someone
new to me and smiling says: "I'll (hm...) send him to you later", and
leaves.
Liz says "You... clearly have the advantage of language over
us." Two of the threesome do not speak Lojban.
Me: "It's power conflict! I top and am topped."
Paul: "At any time more than one persons interact, there is a
power conflict. Jen says so on the electronic news, so it must be
true!"
Me: "On purpose?"
Paul: "Our good man here has been saying 'On purpose' a bit too
long."
Me: "... On purpose?"
Liz: "It's getting late. Paul, you promised we'd get to bed
early. I'm busy tomorrow."
Paul: "On purpose?"
Me: "Aha! I've been quoted!"
(Editorial digression. Quotation is not equivalent to assertion.
Paul informally utters the "Interacts" sentence, independent of
whether or not he is asserting it. My being quoted is part of the
poetic, or playful, rather than assertional usage of language by Paul
to make his social interactions complex. The quotation does not imply
emulation. Nor does it imply non-emulation! I use parentheses a lot.
On purpose? :) )
Liz: "You're a bad influence. smile"
It's late at the cafe. We have been playing pool. The waiters,
I suppose, are ambling slow and ambling fast and idling. We're
talking fricatives and bisexual politics and absent friends during a
night that, surrounding a distant putative train, lonesome yellow lit
interior / direct distant vehicle automaton / secure grey unchaos
empty, is (THE END) black.
I (Lojbab) don't have many complaints about Nick's work in the
following two stories. They were not passed by an independent editor,
but Nick indicated that they had been reviewed on the computer nets a
couple of times, and that he had made changes appropriately. Alas, he
had not checked the text with a parser (only some minor errors), and
he had two non-existent gismu in the second tale, one of which rquired
guesswork to figure his intent since it was not a simple typo. But
the texts are readable, and my formatting rules that failed to handle
Nick's coffeehouse text are probably satisfactory for this text. All
comments are from me.
Two Greek Folk Tales
translated by Nick Nicholas
I. melu la xrist. na.enai la pacrux. seljdadji da li'u
=.ika'u la pacrux. klama la xrist. gi'e bacru lu ?pe'ipei ?xu do
jinvi ledu'u leti cange bakplixa goi ko'a xriso li'u
=.i lu !pe'i go'i li'u selba'u la xrist.
=.i lu do srera (to'i la pacrux. spuda toi) =.i le kakpa cu me
!cai !ba'e mi !sa'e =.i mi'o fau lenu do na krici lenu go'i cu .!e'u
klama ca le cermurse leko'a cange poi ko'a tsise'a11 =.i do vi le
cange cu !ba'a zgana lenu ko'a me mi li'u
ni'o ca le bavlamdei ke clira clira la xrist. joi la pacrux.
klama le cange po ko'a gi'e se mipstu loi stani =.i le kakpa cu
!ba'e sutra klama gi'enai kruce jdaxanmu'u gi'e lasna le bakni le te
plixa gi'e co'a renro lei tsiju
=.i lu .!e'o ko zgana .!u'a (to'i la pacrux. bacru toi) =.i
ko'a cu !sai me mi =.i ko'a ni'i le !da'i nu ko'a me do cu
jdaxanmu'u pu lenu co'a gunka li'u lu le kakpa cu !ja'o to'e depcni
fi lemu'e mulgau lenu tsise'a =.i ko denpa lemu'e midydo'i =.i ca
ri ko'a co'a citka =.i do ca zgana lenu ko'a jdaxanmu'u li'u
=.i midydo'i =.i ko'a co'a citka gi'enai jdaxanmu'u
=.i lu .!e'o ko zgana .!u'a (to'i la pacrux. bacru toi) =.i
ko'a ni'i le !da'i nu ko'a me do cu jdaxanmu'u pu lenu citka =.i do
caki na ji'u darlu =.i ko'a me !cai mi li'u lu .!e'o ko denpa
=.i go ko'a mo'u citka gi'enaicabo jdaxanmu'u gi ko'a me do .!e'a
li'u =.i ko'a mutce citka gi'e mutce pinxe gi'enaiba'obo jdaxanmu'u
gi'eji'a .!uero'a cladu gaxykafke =.i la xrist. bacru lu ko'a
.!ainai ca .!e'a me do li'u =.i la pacrux. cu bacru lu .!ienai na
go'i =.i ko'a .!ainaicai me ko li'u
Neither Christ nor the Devil wants him.
Once the Devil went to Christ and said "Pray tell, do you think
that plougher is a Christian?" "I do." "You're wrong", the Devil
answered, "the plougher is all mine. If you don't believe me, let's
go to his farm next dawn when he's ploughing. There you'll see he's
mine."
Very early the next day, Christ and the Devil went to the
plougher's farm and hid in some branches. The plougher hastened to
the farm, didn't make the sign of the cross, attached the bulls to the
plough and started sowing. "See?" said the Devil. "He's mine. If he
was yours, he'd make the sign of the cross before working."
"The plougher is impatient to finish sowing. Wait for midday.
Then he'll eat. You'll see him making the sign of the cross then."
It became midday. The plougher started eating and didn't make the
sign of the cross.
"See?" said the Devil. "If he was yours, he'd make the sign of
the cross before eating. You can't argue anymore. He's all mine."
"Wait. If he finishes eating and doesn't make the sign of the cross,
he's yours." The plougher ate a lot, drank a lot, didn't make the
sign of the cross, and to top it all off, let off a huge fart! Christ
said "Now, you can have him." The Devil said "No, you have him!"
II. (untitled)
=.ika'u pukiku le prenu goi ko'a cu mutce nelci lenu kelci loi
kelkarda =.i ko'a ze'i cusku fi leko'a speni fe lu .!e'u vi'ecpe la
xrist. mu'i lenu friti lo midydo'i sanmi ra li'u
=.i la xrist. cu te cusku le sego'i gi'e frasku lu mi .!ai klama
li'u
=.ike'unai ca le midydo'i la xrist. noi se kansa ro leri tadni cu
klama =.i leko'a speni bazi lenu viska ri joi ra cusku lu le nanba
na banzu .!u'u .!oiro'a li'u
=.i la xrist. cusku lu .!i'a ja'a go'i =.i ti cavi nanba
=.iseni'ibo ti .!o'o bazivi se citka mi'o li'u
=.i nicygai le jubme =.i zutse mu'i lenu citka =.i la xrist.
cestoldapma le nanba =.i ri banzu tu'a lei citka gi'e .!u'a dukse
Once there was a man who loved playing cards. One day, he said
to his wife, "Invite Christ here so we can offer him lunch." Christ
was told this and responded "I'll go." So, at noon Christ,
accompanied by all his student, came there. The man's wife, upon
seeing them, said: "Oh, there won't be enough bread!" Christ said: "I
think there will. This is the bread we've got, so this is what we'll
eat." The table was spread, and they sat to eat. Christ blessed the
bread. It was enough - more than enough for those present!
no'i la xrist. ba cpacu loi vanju mu'i lenu pinxe kei gi'e
te preti fo ko'a fe lenu ko'a djica lenu la xrist. dunda dakau ko'a
=.i lei tadni cu cusku lu dunda tu'a .!e'usai le cevzda li'u
=.i ku'i ko'a cusku fi la xrist. fe lu mi ponse lo plisytricu
noi se klama zo'e ja'e lenu citka lei plise =.iseki'ubo mi djica
lenu ro klama .!i'anai be le tricu cu se lasna fi ri li'u
=.i la xrist. cusku lu ledo seldji ca'a !do'a mansa li'u
=.i la xrist. ba cpacu le remoi kabri =.i cusku lu do djica
lenu mi dunda ?ma do li'u
=.i lei tadni cu cusku fi ko'a fe lu ko bacru .!e'ucai lu dunda
tu'a le cevzda li'u li'u
=.i ko'a cusku lu .!ai na'e go'i =.i mi djica lenu mi jinga fo
ro nu mi'a kelci loi kelkarda li'u
=.i la xrist. cusku lu ledo seldji ca'a !do'a mansa li'u
=.i la xrist. ba cpacu le cimoi kabri =.i lu do djica lenu mi
dunda ?ma do li'u
=.i ko'a bazi cusku lu tu'a le cevzda li'u
=.i la xrist. cusku lu ledo seldji ca'a !do'a mansa li'u
=.i la xrist. baza cliva =.i ko'a co'a kelkarda kelci =.i
ko'a jinga fi ro kelkansa =.i la xrist. kucyga'a se sfacatra
=.ipujecajebabo ko'a kelci .!ue.i'enairu'e
Christ then took wine to drink, and asked the man what he wanted
Christ to give him. The students said "Ask for the kingdom of
heaven!" But he said to Christ: "I have an apple tree, which people
always come and eat apples from. So I want anyone who goes to the
tree to get stuck onto it." Christ said "As you wish, so it will be
done." Christ took a second cup, and said "What do you want me to
give you?" The students told him "Say 'Give me the kingdom of
heaven!'" He said "No; I want to win every time I play cards."
Christ said "As you wish, so it will be done." Christ took a third
cup. "What do you want me to give you?" He then said "The kingdom of
heaven." Christ said "As you wish, so it will be done." Christ left,
later on, and the man started playing cards. He won over everyone he
played with. Christ was crucified, and the man kept on playing!
ni'o la xrist. klagau lo notcrida noi cusku fi ko'a fe lu
la xrist. klagau mi ti mu'i lenu mi lebna do =.i lenu do kelci cu
banzu .!u'i =.i lenu do jmive cu sisti .!uo li'u
=.i ko'a cusku lu .!i'a go'i =.i !.!e'odo'a ko citka su'o
plise =.ibabo mi klama li'u
=.i le notcrida cu klama mu'i lenu citka kei gi'e se lasna =.i
lego'i cu cpesku lu ko .!e'ocai klama ja'e lenu to'e lasna mi li'u
=.i ko'a cusku lu mi klama do punaijeca .!ai.u'i .!ionairu'e
lenu mi !ga'i djica li'u gi'e di'i kelci =.i ko'a ca lenu mo'u se
cinri lenu kelci cu klama le notcrida gi'e cusku lu mi ca to'e lasna
do gi'e .!i'a klakansa do li'u
=.i ko'a joi le notcrida cu klama fo le daptutra gi'e viska la
xades. noi se kansa pare se jdadapma =.i ko'a cusku lu .!e'u mi'o
velji'a kelci =.i .!e'u ge mi te jinga gi'o roroi vi stali gi mi
jinga gi'o cpacu leti se jdadapma li'u
=.i la xades. zanru =.i ri joi ko'a co'a kelci =.i ko'a ba
cusku lu li ci pi'i mu du li pamu =.i li pamu su'i pa du li paxa
.!u'a =.iseni'ibo .!e'o ko dunda le se jdadapma mi li'u
=.i ko'a lebna le se jdadapma gi'e klama le cevzda
Christ sent an angel, who told him "Christ sent me to take you
away. You've played enough! Your life is over." He said "Fine. Do
go and have some apples. Then I'll come with you." The angel went to
eat, and got stuck. He begged the man: "Please come and get me off
here!" He said "I'll come to you, but not before I feel like it!",
and kept on playing. When he got bored of playing, he came to the
angel and said, "I'll get you off the tree, and will come along with
you now." They went past Hell, and saw Hades with twelve damned
people. He said "I'll gamble with you! If you win, I stay here
forever; if I win, I get these damned people." Hades approved, and
they started playing. He then said "Three by five makes fifteen, plus
one makes sixteen! So give me those damned." He took the damned and
went to heaven.
no'i la xrist. ca lenu ko'a joi le drata cu klama ra cu
cusku lu mi cpedu lenu do noi pamei cu klama mi =.i do mo'ifa'avi
klagau .!ue lo du'emei li'u
=.i ko'a cusku lu mi !si'a ca lenu mi do vi'ecpe mu'i lenu mi
friti le midydo'i sanmi do cu cpedu lenu do noi pamei cu klama mi
=.i do klagau ku'i lo pacimei .!oiro'a =.i mi ne pa'a ca .!o'inai
klagau lo pacimei li'u
=.iseni'ibo!zo'o la xrist. zanru tu'a ropaci klama
When the man and the others came, Christ said "I asked you, one
person, to come to me. You've brought too many people here!" He said
"And when I invited you to offer you lunch, I asked you, one person,
to come to me. But you brought thirteen! So I'm bringing you
thirteen too." ERGO, Christ let all thirteen in.
1Nick translates this as "chaos", for which he used the gismu "kalsa"
elsewhere in the piece; I get nothing from the metaphor "earth-hair".
2These strings could have been done more clearly using the Mex
grammar, which allows you to talk about strings of letters and numbers
as strings. "me'o ry.ubusy." and "me'o xy.ebukyry.ybu" would be the
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corresponding string expressions. Since lerfu used as sumti (as is
the case in this text) are presumed to be anaphoric abbreviations,
rather than literal text, this version really isn't correct, though it
can be figured out.
3This usage is wrong. "bu'a" is one of the existential predicate
variables, equivalent to "da" for sumti. Acting like "goi" does for
sumti, "cei" is the selbri assignment marker used to assign values to
the unbound selbri variables of the brodV-series. The latter series
corresponds to "ko'a" series for sumti, and not for "da" series, and
is clearly what Nick intends in this usage, since he anaphorically
repeats the bridi of this sentence in the next parenthesis by back
reference to "*bu'a".
On the other hand, the mechanisms available for defining or
restricting bu'a series variables are relatively undefined.
4The lujvo-scoring algorithm given with the rafsi lists this issue
would give a slight preference to "prulamcte" over "purlamcte".
5The lujvo-scoring algorithm given with the rafsi lists this issue
would give a slight preference to "prupla" over "purpla".
6I would have used the more general "ctitcilu'i" for "dish-washer".
7This one lost me for a little bit, since the names of the days of the
week do not include the rafsi for "moi", and Nick did not use "moi"
elsewhere in the story for "Saturday night". (Actually, the English
translation doesn't mention it being night, but the previous sentence
mentions evening. Since we worked hard to give Lojban culturally
neutral definitions for the parts of the day, word choice here could
be significant to some.)
8The lujvo-scoring algorithm given with the rafsi lists this issue
would give a slight preference to "selxaumau" over "selxagmau".
9This is "dai" on older cmavo lists; see "dai" in the list of new
members of UI elsewhere in this issue.
10The Lojban is obviously a reference to the character proposed by
Veijo, and described in JL17. Apparently Nick votes in favor of Xiron
(though he inexplicably spelled it 'Chiron' in his version of this
English translation). Nick appears to add the stipulation that
Saturday is Xiron's regular day off.
11I would probably use "tsipe'a" (seed-spread) or "tsifai" (seed-
distribute) rather than "seed-insert", though my knowledge of farming
is not particularly noteworthy.