lo vs. le - the in mind distinction

[Logical Language Group <lojbab@access.digex.net>]

>English uses the indefinite article for first mention.  "I met _a_ man
>this morning.  He was wearing a hat."
>
>I don't think this is required in Lojban.  Would you say {mi penmi le
>nanmu ca le cerni i ny dasni lo mapku} or {mi penmi lo nanmu ca le cerni
>i ny dasni lo mapku}?

The lo version would certainly be a weaker statement.  I think it better
to turn to colloquial English to understand what we probably mean here.
The parentheticals below are hyper-colloquials - think of a nice
southern drawl.

"I met this(-here) man this morning, (see), and he was wearing this hat."

This version more accurate captures the sense that there really is an
in-mind man, and probably the hat as well.

lojbab