Subject: pabu (was Re: Anything but tautologies)

From: Edward Cherlin <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 03 Mar 2002 13:35:38 -0800

On Thursday 28 February 2002 11:38, John Cowan wrote:
> [email-masked] wrote:
...
> > And what does {pabu} mean, then (if it is legal, as it should
> > be)?
>
> It is not yet defined to mean anything in particular.

In discussing mappings between multiplicative structures, 
mathematicians sometimes say that the general element x is mapped to 
x', and that the specific unit element 1 is mapped to 1'. Some on 
this group will object, I am sure, to bringing such a usage into 
Lojban. I argue neither for nor against (at least today).

> I would write n, n', n'', ... as ny. ny.bu ny.bubu ...
> (People who say "n double prime" should be dissected!)

Or perhaps factored? :-)

My son objects strenuously to much of mathematical terminology and 
usage, in somewhat this manner. For example, the usage sin^n x for 
sin x^n, except for sin^-1 x for arcsine x (which we can get away 
with, since (sin x)^-1 is csc x). My view is that people can define 
their notations and their readings for their notations with 
considerable freedom, as long as the result is efficient 
communication (with the exception of obfuscated programming, of 
course). However, I am pleased that the Lojban reading of x''' will 
be so simple that nobody should be tempted to fudge it. 
-- 
Edward Cherlin
"When I use a word," said Humpty Dumpty, "it means exactly what I 
intend for it to mean, neither more nor less."