Re: [lojban] cmavo list on smart.fm

[Jorge Llambías <jjllambias@gmail.com>]

On Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 9:47 PM, Robin Lee Powell
<rlpowell@digitalkingdom.org> wrote:
>
> I've compromised slightly, by the way; it's actually the keyword
> plus the first bit of the "definition"; up to the first : or ;

I just want to strongly emphasize here the scare quotes around "definition".

> This just give a bit more detail, for learning.  Examples:

I would scarequote "learning" too. It should be strongly emphasized
that memorizing keywords, most especially in the case of cmavo, is in
most cases nowhere near learning those words.

For example:

> se      2nd conversion (2nd conversion)

If you don't already know what "se" does, "2nd conversion" tells you
next to nothing about "se".

Even if you do have a vague idea, it still doesn't tell you whether
"se broda brode" is "(se broda) brode" or "se (broda brode)" for
example, so learning "se" involves something other than flashcards.

> lo      the really is (veridical descriptor)

which is ok, as long as you don't get the impression that "lo" is a
definite article because "the" is a definite article, or that "really"
has anything to do with existence as opposed to veridicality, or that
"is" implies singular, and so on. I'm not proposing any alternative
better keyword, but people should be reminded that learning keywords
is not the same as learning what the word means or how to use it, and
this is especially true for structure words. So flashcards are fine in
helping with memorization of cmavo you have already learned, not so
good for learning cmavo you have never met before.

/end rant

mu'o mi'e xorxes

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "lojban" group.
To post to this group, send email to lojban@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to lojban+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/lojban?hl=en.