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[lojban] Re: elliptical sentences

mmm, I think I have been misunderstanding "lo" in that case.  From the "How to use xorlo" page on lojban.org I read:

"
Something that needs to be noted in general: we, the BPFK, made a consensus decision that we do not make rulings on ontological or metaphysical issues; that is, we will not tell you whether phrase X has meaning or validity. That is discussion and speaker specific, and not our job. In some discussions, saying "mi kalte pa lo pavyseljirna" (which litterally means "there exists one thing that is a unicorn that I am hunting"; this implies that at least one unicorn exists) is perfectly reasonable, in others it's a reason to put someone in a mental hospital. In a similar vein, "lo" is now completely generic
"

I understood that to mean that if I say "mi viska lo pavyseljirna" that I am not saying "I see a unicorn which really exists" but rather that I am saying "I see some thing which I describe as 'a unicorn'".  Am I misunderstanding that?

- Luke Bergen


2009/7/28 Jorge Llambías <jjllambias@gmail.com>
On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 1:03 PM, Luke Bergen<lukeabergen@gmail.com> wrote:
> if I'm remembering correctly, under xorlo {lo} means something like "having
> something to do with", with no implications of actual existence, whether it
> is in the speakers mind only, or whether it _really is_ a specific instance
> of whatever it is that you're talking about.

As far as I understand, "lo" has always been and remains veridical,
not just "something to do with". It doesn't have to be specific, it
can be generic, but it is veridical, and it has no direct relation to
existence. "lo xanri" for example is something imaginary, not
something imaginary that also exists. It has to be imaginary, not
"having something to do with imaginary".

> Whereas {le} means that you have a specific thing in mind although I don't
> believe it makes any truth claims about whether or not it _really is_.  So
> "le gerku" would mean "I have an actual thing in mind that I'm calling 'dog'
> " while "lo gerku" would mean "there is something that I'm choosing to refer
> to as 'dog' ".

Sounds right to me. "le" has always meant that.

mu'o mi'e xorxes


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