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Dave Barton's Proposal for discussion at LogFest
Dave Barton is seeking to find ways to get funding for LLG and has
drafted the following. Comments are welcome - we will be discussing the
proposal at LogFest.
>Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 13:23:12 -0400
>From: dlb@severn.wash.inmet.com (David Barton)
>To: lojbab@access.digex.net
>Subject: The First Version of the Proposal
>
>I have not put an address on the proposal yet. It can be yours or mine;
>I don't care either way.
>
>For sheer logistics, I am particularly interested in any comments and
>corrections you have on the section on the LLG; I guessed on the stuff
>here, and it needs to reflect reality. Of course, any other comments
>you have will be gratefully accepted.
>
>Hope to hear from you soon, and I'm looking forward to the LogFest.
>
> Dave Barton <*>
> dlb@wash.inmet.com )0(
> http://www.inmet.com/~dlb
>----------------------------------------------------------------
> Better Intercultural Communication
> The Logical Languages Group
> 24 June, 1996
>
>
>
>1. Executive Summary
>
>Communication between people of different cultures is marred by
>differing cultural assumptions, attitudes, and mechanisms of
>communicating emotion. A tone of a voice, a lift of an eyebrow, or a
>cultural metaphor may speak volumes to a member of the same culture, but
>be completely lost on someone from a different country, tribe, or
>family. Such missed and confused communication can cost time, money,
>embarrassment, and even lives.
>
>The Logical Languages Group has created a logical language called Lojban
>to address this specific need. The adjective ``logical'' refers to its
>organization, which is based on the predicate, rather than its subject
>matter. Indeed, it has an extensive set of features for communicating
>emotions and attitudes. A primary goal of the language is to include as
>spoken syllables those important parts of communication that are often
>unspoken in English and other modern languages. By moving emotions and
>attitudes from the unspoken to the spoken, we hope to avoid
>misunderstandings that often occur between people. Lojban is easy to
>learn, much easier than most modern languages. This will assist people
>to learn Lojban as a common lingua franca. If Lojban is truly
>significantly simpler to learn than other languages, it will go a long
>way to establishing a single lingua franca between all the people of the
>earth.
>
>In addition to helping communication between people of different
>cultures, Lojban can help communication between people and the computers
>that have been created to serve them. Lojban has a computer program
>that translates Lojban messages into computer comprehensible data
>structures. We hope that this will be used to allow people to talk to
>computers more freely, in a language that they can also use with other
>people.
>
>The Logical Languages Group has designed Lojban, and documented it in a
>series of books. We now need to begin the task of presenting this
>information as widely as possible. This means printing and selling the
>books to as wide an audience as we can possibly create.
>
>Our request to your foundation is that you provide the initial print run
>of these books. With this seed, we can begin and continue to distribute
>the materials to anyone who is interested. From the initial seed, sales
>of the book will pay for reprints and translations as necessary.
>
>With this seed, the growth of Lojban will proceed as quickly as the
>Logical Languages Group can generate interest. At present, that growth
>is hampered by lack of printed material. This barrier is insupportable,
>and insurmountable with our present resources. We ask that your
>foundation help remove that barrier, and allow us to work towards our
>dream: Lojban being known throughout the world as a second language,
>helping all people communicate better and more effectively.
>
>
>
>2. The Overall Need
>
>The Logical Languages Group was born of a dissatisfaction with existing
>mechanisms for communicating between cultures. The gap between peoples
>born in different parts of the world is more than linguistic; it is
>cultural as well. Even if we learn each other's language, we find that
>the subtle emphases and connotations are sufficient to completely block
>communication between people of different cultures. The richness of
>language --- metaphor, implication, vocal tones, references to shared
>cultural subjects --- are at least as important to communication as the
>grammar and dictionary definitions of the words of the different
>languages.
>
>Examples of such confusions abound. Some of the most amusing occur in
>business, such as when the Chevrolet Nova had virtually no sales in
>Spanish speaking countries, since ``no va'' in Spanish means ``no go''.
>While this may be amusing, it cost General Motors millions of dollars.
>Similar misunderstandings in diplomatic circles can cost more than
>money; it can cost thousands of lives.
>
>The Logical Languages Group has approached this problem by creating a
>``logical language'' called Lojban (which means ``logical language'' in
>Lojban). The heart of Lojban is the predicate. This takes the place of
>the normal noun, verb, and adjective of most languages, and states that
>a relationship exists between the different pieces of the sentence.
>This new, different kind of language structure is more flexible, and
>easier to learn, than the normal profusion of nouns, adjectives, and
>verbs.
>
>Despite the connotation of ``logical'' in logical language, a large part
>of Lojban (and the shortest words, as we anticipate them being the most
>used) consists of ``attitudinal indicators''. These express emotion,
>attitudes, and other important parts of our communication normally given
>by facial expressions, voice tones, allusions to shared cultural
>patterns, and a multitude of additional non-verbal mechanisms. By
>giving the vital pieces of communication a voice, we allow these
>normally vital pieces of our communication that are normally lost across
>the gap of translation, we allow these normally uncommunicated cultural
>dependent pieces of our messages to be transmitted across cultural
>barriers.
>
>Due to its predicate structure, Lojban is also easier to learn than a
>normal language. We have increased this by making as many of the words
>in Lojban as possible cognates of similar words in other languages. In
>order to be as culturally neutral as possible, we have chosen words from
>other languages in the order in which they are spoken by the world's
>population; Chinese first, then English, and so on. While we have a
>small sample of people who have attempted to learn Lojban, we estimate
>that Lojban can be learned in two thirds to one half the amount of time
>that it takes to learn a normal spoken language. This makes Lojban an
>ideal second language, particularly for adults whose language learning
>ability is not as great as young children.
>
>As we progress into the next century, the need for accurate
>communication between peoples of different cultures will become more and
>more important. Additionally, we may anticipate that communication
>between human and machine will also become increasingly important as
>technology plays a greater role in all our lives. The Logical Languages
>Group has paced the development of the language with the development of
>a computer program that translates any message in Lojban into computer
>data structures. This program is freely available to all researchers,
>or anyone interested in the language.
>
>We therefore have a dream that Lojban can become the second language of
>the entire world. It is easy to learn, culturally neutral, allows
>communication of complex emotions and attitudes, and permits not only
>communication between human and human, but also between human and
>computer.
>
>There are two other candidates for the position of ``second language of
>the world''. One of these is English. As technology has spread, so has
>English since it is the language of technology. Unfortunately, English
>is extremely complex and is difficult to learn. It is also far from
>culturally neutral; indeed, it comes with a large set of cultural
>assumptions. This can lead to two people, even if they know English,
>misunderstanding each other because of different cultural assumptions
>(to say nothing of different accents!).
>
>The other potential candidate is Esperanto, the best known and most
>widely spoken of the constructed (or artificial) languages. Esperanto
>is known and spoken by more than a million people. Because of its
>regular structure, it is easier to learn than most languages as well.
>
>Lojban is a different approach to the problem than that of Esperanto.
>First, the attitudinal indicators allow emotions and cultural attitudes
>to be expressed more fluently in Lojban. Second, we believe the
>predicate structure of Lojban will be even easier to learn. Third,
>Esperanto is derived from the major European languages, and is thus not
>culturally neutral. We hope that Lojban will be better accepted than
>Esperanto in the Eastern areas of the world. Finally, Esperanto is not
>easily translated into computer data structures, as is Lojban. We do
>not see Lojban as in direct competition with Esperanto, but rather as an
>alternative approach to achieve similar goals.
>
>This, therefore, is our dream; to create a language that can be a means
>of communication between all people, and between people and machines.
>To this end, we have created a language that is easy to learn,
>culturally neutral, and easily translated to computer data structures.
>Having created this language, we now need to distribute it as widely as
>possible.
>
>
>
>3. The Specific Need
>
>The Logical Languages Group is committed to the widest possible
>dissemination of information concerning Lojban. Indeed, this was the
>reason for the creation of the Logical Languages Group; we wished to
>create a language that would be fully in the public domain, and totally
>available to anyone who wished to learn and use it.
>
>To this end, we have prepared the necessary books to allow someone to
>learn the language: a definition of the structure of the language (the
>reference grammar), a dictionary from English to Lojban and Lojban to
>English, a textbook, and an introduction to the language. We have
>already taken advantage of the latest communications technology to make
>this information available. All of these works are available, without
>charge, on the World Wide Web through the Internet.
>
>However, only a small part of the world's population has access to the
>Internet at present. To gain the widest possible distribution of
>Lojban, we must publish these books just as any normal book is
>published. Unfortunately, there are reasons why we cannot take the
>normal route of presenting the book for publication and sale via the
>normal channels. First, we have no built-in, verified market for the
>works. A publisher wants to see a verified market for a book before he
>takes the risk of paying for printing and distributing a book, for
>obvious reasons. In addition, we are committed to making all these
>materials freely available to anyone who wants them. We therefore
>permit --- indeed, we encourage --- anyone to obtain copies of the books
>from the Internet, and to copy them as freely as necessary. A publisher
>rightly feels that this interferes with the market for his books. The
>same arguments apply to persuading a bank to loan money to the Logical
>Languages Group so that we may publish the books on our own.
>
>This is the reason for this application. We are asking for enough
>resources to produce an initial run of 2500 copies of each of the five
>books. These books include:
>
>o The reference grammar, which is the official definition of
> the structure of Lojban.
>
>o An English to Lojban dictionary.
>
>o A Lojban to English dictionary.
>
>o A textbook which teaches the reader to speak Lojban,
> including exercises.
>
>o An introduction to the language, that gives the reader
> a feel for Lojban and its structure, and that allows the
> reader to speak simple sentences in Lojban.
>
>This set of books allows us to fully present the language to all
>audiences, from college classes through informal groups dedicated to
>learning the language to the individual who is simply curious. It
>allows us complete coverage of the entire English speaking community.
>
>This is a necessary next step in achieving our goal of presenting Lojban
>to the world as a ``universal second language''. From here, we will
>reprint the books as necessary, and begin the task of translating the
>books into other languages. Given the initial investment in the first
>printing of 2500, further progression on this road will be self-funded
>by sales on of the existing books. This is therefore a one time grant,
>but an absolutely necessary one. It also assures that we can progress
>in this area only as fast as books are sold, and therefore needed. If
>Internet distribution channels are sufficient, then sales of the book
>will slow and unnecessary books will not be produced. If more books are
>needed, the existing ones will sell and pay for additional printings.
>
>Without this initial grant, the spread of Lojban will be irreversibly
>slowed. The initial ``seed'' of published volumes will allow the
>Logical Languages Group to renew the stock as necessary, creating a
>continuing resource for those who wish to learn to speak Lojban.
>Without it, the body of speakers will grow much more slowly, and may
>never reach the critical mass necessary for worldwide dissemination of
>the language. We sincerely hope that your foundation will consider this
>proposal as worthy of funding for this reason.
>
>4. Project Description
>
>This project consists of printing 2500 copies of each of five books.
>This total of 10,000 books will provide the seed for the wide
>dissemination of Lojban through the English speaking world and, when
>translations are complete to other languages, throughout the entire
>world.
>
> The books consist of the following:
>
>
>Introduction to Lojban
> This is a short introductory volume that gives the
> reader a grasp of the principles of the language.
> By the end of the book, the reader will be able to
> recognize Lojban, explain its unique features, and
> compose simple Lojban sentences with the aid of a
> dictionary. This is a paperbound volume, and should
> cost the reader $7.50.
>
>Learning Lojban
> This is the standard textbook for Lojban, suitable for
> a language course at the high school or college level.
> It includes exercises and other teaching materials. By
> the conclusion of a course using this textbook, the
> reader will be able to read and write Lojban with the
> aid of a dictionary and the reference grammar. It is a
> hardbound volume of approximately 600 pages, and will
> cost $25.00.
>
>The Lojban Reference Grammar
> This is the formal definition of the rules of the
> language. It is definitive; all the rules of the
> language will be given in this book. It will be the
> standard reference of the language. It is a hardbound
> book of approximately 600 pages, and will cost $25.00.
>
>English to Lojban Dictionary
> As the title implies, this is a dictionary of English
> words and their Lojban equivalents. It is a hardbound
> volume of approximately 600 pages, and will cost
> $25.00.
>
>Lojban to English Dictionary
> As the title implies, this is a dictionary of Lojban
> words and their English equivalents. It is a hardbound
> volume of approximately 600 pages, and will cost
> $25.00.
>
>
>The prices given above are full retail, and give sufficient room for
>various discounts. These discounts can either be to dealers, or will
>allow the Logical Languages Group to offer special deals and still more
>than recoup their costs. The additional funding will allow printing in
>larger quantities if this seems advisable, and will assist in funding
>translations of the materials.
>
>This is the sum total of the project; to provide the initial seed for
>wide promulgation of Lojban. All of the funds from sales of these
>materials will go into wider dissemination of these materials and the
>preparation of additional materials, such as more course materials.
>
>
>5. Project Budget
>
>We have requested estimates for printing the materials, as given above,
>for each of the books listed in the project description above. The
>prices given are rounded upwards and include an estimate for freight
>charges to the headquarters of the Logical Languages Group in Fairfax,
>Virginia. Any amount above these estimates will be included in the
>publicity budget, as shown below.
>
> Item Estimated Cost
> Introduction to Lojban $3500.00
> Learning Lojban $11,000.00
> The Lojban Reference Grammar $11,000.00
> English to Lojban Dictionary $11,000.00
> Lojban to English Dictionary $11,000.00
> Publicity $5000.00
> Total $52,500.00
>
>Copies of the estimates from printers are available upon request.
>
>The publicity budget, as given, is extremely small by normal standards.
>We anticipate most of the promotion for the works being done my means
>that do not require additional funds. These include articles about
>Lojban, press releases, submissions to collections of available books,
>and Internet publicity. The small budget will allow one small ad in
>Scientific American or a similar publication, and perhaps small
>announcements in professional linguistics journals.
>
>The preparation of camera ready art for the books will be done on an
>entirely volunteer basis, as will the actual writing of the books. All
>these works are nearly complete, and are undergoing review. The
>copyright of all these works will belong to the Logical Languages Group;
>all the authors are donating their time and expertise. Graphic layout
>of the covers, and art for the covers, will also be done on a volunteer
>basis. Thus, our sole needs are for printing and publicity.
>
>The Logical Languages Group is a tax-exempt organization; a copy of the
>certification of this fact is attached to this proposal. At this time,
>our funds are sufficiently small that we have no audited financial
>statement. Our dues are extremely low, and are often remitted entirely
>for those who cannot pay, but express interest. The dues pay for the
>distribution of the newsletter and for portions of the annual gathering
>of those interested in Lojban in Fairfax, Virginia. We have no paid
>staff and no real property; our assets are strictly intellectual. We
>will set up a separate fund for the sales of these publications, and
>will have this fund audited annually by a certified public accountant.
>Labor for shipping the books will be volunteer at first, and if paid
>staff is necessary at a later time, or if we choose to use an order
>fulfillment service, this will be a part of the same publication
>account, and will be subject to the annual audit.
>
>
>6. The Logical Languages Group
>
>Logical languages have been under development for more than thirty
>years. Loglan was the original logical language, and was developed by
>John Cooke Brown and a number of volunteers under the guise of The
>Loglan Institute. The work done by The Loglan Institute on Loglan was
>formative for logical languages, and the Logical Languages Group is
>continually indebted to this work for its efforts.
>
>The Logical Languages Group has been in existence for more than ten
>years. It was formed by members of The Loglan Institute who disagreed
>with the Institute's policy concerning intellectual property of close
>control of all materials concerning Loglan. The members of the Logical
>Languages Group are totally committed to the widest possible
>availability of all information concerning Lojban; this is the
>cornerstone of their establishment and existence as a separate entity.
>All of the labor dedicated to the development of Lojban has been donated
>to the Logical Languages Group, including the preparation of the books
>we now wish to print.
>
>During the past ten years, we have built a large vocabulary and refined
>the rules of the language. This has progressed to the preparation of
>the extensive collection of materials that exists today. The quality
>and existence of these materials is a tribute to the dedication and
>efforts of these volunteer linguists, and without them Lojban would not
>exist.
>
>At present, the Logical Languages Group is devoting itself to completing
>the documents that we are asking you to help us print, and promulgating
>Lojban in any way we can. Our budget remains small, and will remain
>small until we begin actually printing and selling books. We look
>forward to this change in our existence as an exciting challenge, and
>the true beginning of our goal to make Lojban the second language of the
>world.
>
>
>7. Conclusion
>
>The Logical Languages Group is held together by a single dream. That
>dream is that there is a better way for people from different cultures
>to communicate, one that avoids misunderstandings due to unstated
>cultural attitudes and mechanisms of communicating emotion. We also
>dream that people everywhere can not only communicate better with each
>other, but also with the computers that serve them.
>
>To achieve this dream we need to put Lojban before the world community
>so that it may judge for itself, gradually, if it can truly fulfill this
>goal. We need a seed. It is, in many ways, a small seed. It is also a
>one time seed, one that will not have to be repeated. We are not asking
>your foundation for continuing support, just for this one time grant to
>propel us into the path to fulfill our dream. Once our first infusion
>of books has been received, the dream will then require no more external
>funding. Steady work, and intelligent effort will be needed; however,
>we are used to this. We have needed it to get this far.
>
>We hope that you will join us in this dream. We believe it is one that
>is worthy of your attention, and your funds. We look forward to
>cooperating with you in helping all people to communicate better.
>
>
===============
----
lojbab lojbab@access.digex.net
Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-1303 USA 703-385-0273
For the artificial language Loglan/Lojban, see powered.cs.yale.edu /pub/lojban
or see Lojban WWW Server: href="http://xiron.pc.helsinki.fi/lojban/";