"any"

[Gerald Koenig <jlk@NETCOM.COM>]

The Webster definition of "any" is:

1. one or some indiscriminately of whatever kind.
        a. one or another taken at random

        b. every--used to indicate one selected without restriction


2. one, some, or all indiscriminately of whatever quantity.
        a. one or more
        b. all
3.      a unmeasured or unlimited in amount,number, or extent.
        b. appreciably large or extended.


Previously I suggested that "any x" should translate to: (quantifier)
typical random (x). This post is an attempt to embody some of the
dictionary meanings above, and to deal with the multifarious problems
pointed out by John Clifford. I have as yet no idea what these
suggestions would mean for resolving the many scope ambiguities of
"any" in Englsh.  Nor do I know if the grammar here explored would
work.


Predicate calculus quantifiers          lojban          comments

All     (x)                             ro          true quantifier
Some    E(x)                            su'o        true quantifier
Iota    I(x)                            lo pa *     the (one) x (term)
S_any   Alpha(x) *                      l'alfa *    singular "any"(term)
P_any   Sigma(x) *                      s'ma  *     plural"any"quantifier


True quantifiers should have grammar of PA4. Terms should have grammar
of LA.  Sigma(x) should have grammar of PA4. The stars indicate new
ideas for discussion. Pardon my ungrammatical new word spellings.

Examples:
ro da zo'u tu'e da plise inaja mi cidja da
I eat all the apples. (They may or may not exist).

su'o da zo'u tu'e da plise inaja mi cidja da
I eat some apples. (They exist).

lo pa da zo'u tu'e da plise inaja mi cidja da
I eat the apple. (only one specific apple, it could be named Munchkin.)

l'alfa da zo'u tu'e da plise inaja mi cidja da
I eat any apple. (only one random apple, it could be named Crunchkin)

l'sma da zo'u tu'e da plise inaja me cidja da
I eat any apples. (subject to the built-in restrictions on "any")

These are of course too stilted for practical use. But maybe the
following forms would work:

mi cidja ro lo plise
mi cidja su'o lo plise
mi cidja lo pa plise
mi cidja l'alfa lo plise
mi cidja l'sma lo plise

These are all meant to have the same meaning as the corresponding
examples above.

If there is any value in these ideas, they should be harmonized with the
ideas put forth by .And on the question of existence in quantifiers. I'm
not sure I dealt with "any" as "all" either but that's it for today.

djer