Re: [lojban] Naming: Borrowed versus Native

[Pierre Abbat <phma@phma.optus.nu>]

On Thursday 16 September 2010 17:07:16 Jonathan Jones wrote:
> Reposted from a thread on the jbovlaste group:
>
> My entire argument regarding Lojban names for things is as follows:
> > 1) Borrowing words from other languages (fu'ivla) is a Bad Thing (
> > http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/B/Bad-Thing.html) and should only be done
> > when there is NO OTHER WAY. This means ANY language, including Latin.
> >
> > 2) Fluent jbopre are expected to be able to understand any gismu, cmavo,
> > lujvo, etc. that they see without the need to consult a dictionary.

A fluent jbopre who is ignorant of geology and paleontology won't 
understand "bakrycedra". One who has never heard of a plonebrespa may 
erroneously think it's a turtle whose neck folds to fit in the shell.

> > 3) Specifically regarding creatures: Nearly every creature with a name
> > has a *descriptive* common name, and all Linnean names of things are
> > descriptive, in the Latin language.

Ardipithecus ramidus is an extinct hominid. "Ramidus" looks like a Latin word 
meaning "branchy", but in this name it isn't. Both "ardi" and "ramid" are 
from the Afar language. "Pongo" (orangutan) is from some Bantu 
word "impungu". In "Netta peposaca" (a kind of duck), "peposaca" is 
Guaraní. "Selmes" (a mousebird) is an anagram of "Messel" (in Hessen, 
Germany), where it was found. For lots more examples, see 
www.curioustaxonomy.net.

> > 4) As such, I see no reason why a descriptive cmene should not be
> > preferable to a borrowed foreign cmene in *every* case.
>
> I am hereby inviting discussion, critique, etc. regarding the above from
> anyone who wishes to.

Icelandic is one of the languages whose regulators are most zealous about 
native words. The word for elephant (fíll) is from Arabic, though it's easy 
to make a short description of an elephant that is sufficient to identify it 
as such. "ensím" (enzyme) is from Greek, though there is a native-looking 
synonym. "tombóla" (carslanu cunterjvi) is from Italian.

Pierre
-- 
When a barnacle settles down, its brain disintegrates.
Já não percebe nada, já não percebe nada.

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