Re: [lojban] An alternative day-of-week list

[tijlan <jbotijlan@gmail.com>]

On 17 November 2011 10:02, Jonathan Jones <eyeonus@gmail.com> wrote:
> Based on the information on that page, only one of those examples of
> other-than-7-day weeks is in use today, that being the Javanese 5-day one.
> All the others are either clearly no longer used or as in the case of the
> Nigerian 4-day week, ambiguous as to their current week.
>
> In contrast, the 7-day week is used worldwide. I don't doubt it would be
> very difficult indeed to find a single culture on this planet that doesn't
> use the 7-day week - even if they also use a other-than-7-day week.
>
> Regardless, the reason for Lojban going with a 7-day week is simple: The
> vast majority, if not the entirety, of the world, has 7 days in their weeks,
> which makes things rather simple to decide.

I understand that. Most people on this planet are not only familiar
with at least one of the 7-day week systems but also organize their
life according to such cultural time units. The majority of Westerners
care about which day is "Sunday" and plan on particular activities
accordingly often because that's when they are given mutual (socially
meaningful) time-off and entertainment opportunities by tradition. As
for those countries that didn't have "Sunday" as a day of rest or a
holiday ("Holy Day") or even the distinction between working /
non-working days, especially the non-Western or non-Christian
communities, they would begin observing it in the same way the
Westerners did, especially since the colonial period, because, as you
say, it would "make things rather simple to decide" *in global
hegemonic situations*. Otherwise, the week system could be considered
unnecessary, unhelpful, or even confusing. It was introduced to Japan
before the 10th century C.E. but didn't take on until 9 centuries
later during its rather compulsive Westernization period, because
month days were useful enough for day-calculating businesses such as
lending.

So, the point is not only about "how many days should a week have" but
also "why should there be any week in the first place". As far as
Earthlings are concerned: one rotation makes one day; one revolution
makes one year; what natural, scientifically observable basis makes 7
days 1 "week"?


On 17 November 2011 11:12, Sebastian Fröjd <so.cool.ogi@gmail.com> wrote:
> I agree with Jonathan. The 7-day week is used worldwide and should therefore
> be the lojbanic standard by default.

There are many conventions that are worldwide but haven't been made a
Lojbanic standard. I think there ought to be other criteria for
deciding on such a matter in addition to historic prevalence,
especially for use in Lojban, where cultural assumptions are supposed
to be critically challenged.


> So I think everyone is free to use alternative standards as long as it clear
> from context or explicit expressed as seltau or put in the standard place.

If I said "mi dansu ca la [Sunday-cmevla]" for people in the U.S., I
would be implying mostly the first day of week that is a holiday; if
for Europeans, the last day that is a holiday; if for the Middle
Easterners, the second day that is a working day; and so on. Lojban
doesn't really need to officially dictate which one is "the first day
of week".

mu'o

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