Subject: Alice style and finalisation (was:The Alice Translation Has Moved And Changed)

From: "G. Dyke" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2002 16:14:28 +0200

>
> As an example: I use {li re ji'i ci} to translate "(approximately)
> two or three". Pierre prefers {li re bi'i ci} for this, so he
> changes it (perhaps thinking that it was a typo, or perhaps just
> because he thinks it is more correct). We could argue which one
> is better, but I have used this expression in maybe ten or more
> places in the book, so changing just one is not really an
> improvement. When I notice the change, I change it back. How
> does this end? The most stubborn wins?

I propose that all those who did each individual part propose a version
which they deem final. If all are in agreement (maybe the original
translators, plus whoever chooses to do comments - read: I want a say in
this) then we lock that page.

The only style I have seen so far is extensive following of English
word-order and typical Llambian lack of {.}, both of which I happen to agree
with, the first for following the thought order of the original, the second
as a general principle.

I think we should add

-Voluntary exclusion of any semantic forms which try to copy the idiom of
English too closely. My main example at the moment is chapter1, paragraph 3:

{i la'e di'u vasru no ba'e mutce be le ka ju'ixlu}

"There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that"

which I think should be

{i la'e di'u no'e ba'e mutce le ka cizra}.

Another example of what I'd like more of is using connectives in tanru like
the {no pixra ja nuncasnu} of the first paragraph

- I also feel we should strive for some sort of logical correctness, in
particular saying "zukte fi zi'o" rather than "zukte fi noda".
<change of heart>
That particular example, I now consider as correct, as it means "I don't
{zukte} because I don't have a {te zukte}", which rather acurately
translates "having nothing to do". But in general, such constructions are
not correct, because they create an unintended negative sentence which does
not fully express what we want to say. Along the same vein is potential
inclusion of ce'u in all ka, and maybe some sort of rigour in NU-gadri.

- Excessive use of selma'o UI whenever possible

peipe'i

mu'o mi'e greg