From swiftrain@xxxxxxxxx.xxxx Sun Feb 21 09:53:31 1999
X-Digest-Num: 69
Message-ID: <44114.69.355.959273824@eGroups.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 12:53:31 -0500
From: SwiftRain <swiftrain@xxxxxxxxx.xxxx
Subject: Re: Dao De Jing [was Re: Promoting Lojban]

Robin Turner wrote:
> 
> I guess, though, that the problem in finding a Lojban word for Dao/Tao 
> is the ineffability of the idea itself!

.ieru'e... finding a word which fully describes the Tao is not a
problem, it's impossible! thus we are free to choose any word we like,
as long as we recognize there will be nothing correct about it. (vau
.u'i) "i do not know its name, i call it the Tao" 

but take note that the meaning of the word we choose may also be
affected by our usage. if we use zo Tadji for zo Tao, it may acquire
more of the sense of a Path or Way. zo Tadji is defined in english as
"method, technique, approach, means," and these have somewhat harsher
connotations than "way," but the lojban word is not meant to inherit the
connotations of its english glosses. 

(za'a .a'u) perhaps zo Tadji is acquiring some meaning of its own? 

.i .a'o do litru kansa le munje tadji 
co'o mi'e bret.