The Complete Lojban Language (2016)

by John Woldemar Cowan

The Complete
Lojban
Language

 

John Woldemar Cowan

 

A Logical Language Group Publication

Version 1.1, Generated 2016-08-26

 

Table of Contents

1. Lojban As We Mangle It In Lojbanistan: About This Book	9
1.1. What is Lojban?	9
1.2. What is this book?	10
1.3. What are the typographical conventions of this book?	10
1.4. Disclaimers	11
1.5. Acknowledgements and Credits	11
1.6. Informal Bibliography	12
1.7. Captions to Pictures	12
1.8. Boring Legalities	13
2. A Quick Tour of Lojban Grammar, With Diagrams	15
2.1. The concept of the bridi	15
2.2. Pronunciation	16
2.3. Words that can act as sumti	17
2.4. Some words used to indicate selbri relations	17
2.5. Some simple Lojban bridi	18
2.6. Variant bridi structure	19
2.7. Varying the order of sumti	20
2.8. The basic structure of longer utterances	21
2.9. tanru	21
2.10. Description sumti	23
2.11. Examples of brivla	24
2.12. The sumti di'u and la'e di'u	24
2.13. Possession	25
2.14. Vocatives and commands	25
2.15. Questions	26
2.16. Indicators	28
2.17. Tenses	29
2.18. Lojban grammatical terms	30
3. The Hills Are Alive With The Sounds Of Lojban	33
3.1. Orthography	33
3.2. Basic Phonetics	34
3.3. The Special Lojban Characters	35
3.4. Diphthongs and Syllabic Consonants	36
3.5. Vowel Pairs	38
3.6. Consonant Clusters	38
3.7. Initial Consonant Pairs	39
3.8. Buffering Of Consonant Clusters	40
3.9. Syllabication And Stress	42
3.10. IPA For English Speakers	44
3.11. English Analogues For Lojban Diphthongs	46
3.12. Oddball Orthographies	47
4. The Shape Of Words To Come: Lojban Morphology	49
4.1. Introductory	49
4.2. cmavo	50
4.3. brivla	52
4.4. gismu	53
4.5. lujvo	54
4.6. rafsi	56
4.7. fu'ivla	60
4.8. cmene	63
4.9. Rules for inserting pauses	66
4.10. Considerations for making lujvo	67
4.11. The lujvo-making algorithm	68
4.12. The lujvo scoring algorithm	69
4.13. lujvo-making examples	70
4.14. The gismu creation algorithm	71
4.15. Cultural and other non-algorithmic gismu	73
4.16. rafsi fu'ivla: a proposal	76
5. “Pretty Little Girls' School”: The Structure Of Lojban selbri	79
5.1. Lojban content words: brivla	79
5.2. Simple tanru	80
5.3. Three-part tanru grouping with bo	82
5.4. Complex tanru grouping	83
5.5. Complex tanru with ke and ke'e	84
5.6. Logical connection within tanru	85
5.7. Linked sumti: be-bei-be'o	88
5.8. Inversion of tanru: co	91
5.9. Other kinds of simple selbri	94
5.10. selbri based on sumti: me	95
5.11. Conversion of simple selbri	97
5.12. Scalar negation of selbri	98
5.13. Tenses and bridi negation	100
5.14. Some types of asymmetrical tanru	101
5.15. Some types of symmetrical tanru	108
5.16. “Pretty little girls' school”: forty ways to say it	109
6. To Speak Of Many Things: The Lojban sumti	115
6.1. The five kinds of simple sumti	115
6.2. The three basic description types	116
6.3. Individuals and masses	119
6.4. Masses and sets	121
6.5. Descriptors for typical objects	122
6.6. Quantified sumti	123
6.7. Quantified descriptions	124
6.8. Indefinite descriptions	127
6.9. sumti-based descriptions	127
6.10. sumti qualifiers	128
6.11. The syntax of vocative phrases	130
6.12. Lojban names	132
6.13. Pro-sumti summary	134
6.14. Quotation summary	136
6.15. Number summary	136
7. Brevity Is The Soul Of Language: Pro-sumti And Pro-bridi	139
7.1. What are pro-sumti and pro-bridi? What are they for?	139
7.2. Personal pro-sumti: the mi-series	140
7.3. Demonstrative pro-sumti: the ti-series	141
7.4. Utterance pro-sumti: the di'u-series	142
7.5. Assignable pro-sumti and pro-bridi: the ko'a-series and the broda-series	144
7.6. Anaphoric pro-sumti and pro-bridi: the ri-series and the go'i-series	146
7.7. Indefinite pro-sumti and pro-bridi: the zo'e-series and the co'e-series	150
7.8. Reflexive and reciprocal pro-sumti: the vo'a-series	152
7.9. sumti and bridi questions: ma and mo	153
7.10. Relativized pro-sumti: ke'a	154
7.11. Abstraction focus pro-sumti: ce'u	154
7.12. Bound variable pro-sumti and pro-bridi: the da-series and the bu'a-series	155
7.13. Pro-sumti and pro-bridi cancelling	155
7.14. The identity predicate: du	156
7.15. lujvo based on pro-sumti	156
7.16. KOhA cmavo by series	157
7.17. GOhA and other pro-bridi by series	158
7.18. Other cmavo discussed in this chapter	159
8. Relative Clauses, Which Make sumti Even More Complicated	161
8.1. What are you pointing at?	161
8.2. Incidental relative clauses	163
8.3. Relative phrases	165
8.4. Multiple relative clauses: zi'e	168
8.5. Non-veridical relative clauses: voi	169
8.6. Relative clauses and descriptors	170
8.7. Possessive sumti	172
8.8. Relative clauses and complex sumti: vu'o	173
8.9. Relative clauses in vocative phrases	175
8.10. Relative clauses within relative clauses	176
8.11. Index of relative clause cmavo	177
9. To Boston Via The Road Go I, With An Excursion Into The Land Of Modals	179
9.1. Introductory	179
9.2. Standard bridi form: cu	180
9.3. Tagging places: FA	182
9.4. Conversion: SE	185
9.5. Modal places: FIhO, FEhU	187
9.6. Modal tags: BAI	188
9.7. Modal sentence connection: the causals	189
9.8. Other modal connections	192
9.9. Modal selbri	194
9.10. Modal relative phrases; Comparison	195
9.11. Mixed modal connection	198
9.12. Modal conversion: JAI	199
9.13. Modal negation	200
9.14. Sticky modals	201
9.15. Logical and non-logical connection of modals	201
9.16. CV'V cmavo of selma'o BAI with irregular forms	202
9.17. Complete table of BAI cmavo with rough English equivalents	203
10. Imaginary Journeys: The Lojban Space/Time Tense System	207
10.1. Introductory	207
10.2. Spatial tenses: FAhA and VA	209
10.3. Compound spatial tenses	210
10.4. Temporal tenses: PU and ZI	211
10.5. Interval sizes: VEhA and ZEhA	213
10.6. Vague intervals and non-specific tenses	215
10.7. Dimensionality: VIhA	215
10.8. Movement in space: MOhI	216
10.9. Interval properties: TAhE and roi	217
10.10. Event contours: ZAhO and re'u	219
10.11. Space interval modifiers: FEhE	222
10.12. Tenses as sumti tcita	223
10.13. Sticky and multiple tenses: KI	225
10.14. Story time	227
10.15. Tenses in subordinate bridi	229
10.16. Tense relations between sentences	230
10.17. Tensed logical connectives	232
10.18. Tense negation	234
10.19. Actuality, potentiality, capability: CAhA	235
10.20. Logical and non-logical connections between tenses	237
10.21. Sub-events	238
10.22. Conversion of sumti tcita: JAI	239
10.23. Tenses versus modals	240
10.24. Tense questions: cu'e	242
10.25. Explicit magnitudes	243
10.26. Finally (an exercise for the much-tried reader)	244
10.27. Summary of tense selma'o	244
10.28. List of spatial directions and direction-like relations	245
11. Events, Qualities, Quantities, And Other Vague Words: On Lojban Abstraction	247
11.1. The syntax of abstraction	247
11.2. Event abstraction	248
11.3. Types of event abstractions	250
11.4. Property abstractions	251
11.5. Amount abstractions	253
11.6. Truth-value abstraction: jei	254
11.7. Predication/sentence abstraction	255
11.8. Indirect questions	256
11.9. Minor abstraction types	258
11.10. Lojban sumti raising	259
11.11. Event-type abstractors and event contour tenses	260
11.12. Abstractor connection	261
11.13. Table of abstractors	262
12. Dog House And White House: Determining lujvo Place Structures	263
12.1. Why have lujvo?	263
12.2. The meaning of tanru: a necessary detour	264
12.3. The meaning of lujvo	266
12.4. Selecting places	267
12.5. Symmetrical and asymmetrical lujvo	267
12.6. Dependent places	269
12.7. Ordering lujvo places.	271
12.8. lujvo with more than two parts.	272
12.9. Eliding SE rafsi from seltau	273
12.10. Eliding SE rafsi from tertau	274
12.11. Eliding KE and KEhE rafsi from lujvo	274
12.12. Abstract lujvo	275
12.13. Implicit-abstraction lujvo	277
12.14. Anomalous lujvo	279
12.15. Comparatives and superlatives	280
12.16. Notes on gismu place structures	283
13. Oooh! Arrgh! Ugh! Yecch! Attitudinal and Emotional Indicators	285
13.1. What are attitudinal indicators?	285
13.2. Pure emotion indicators	287
13.3. Propositional attitude indicators	289
13.4. Attitudes as scales	292
13.5. The space of emotions	294
13.6. Emotional categories	294
13.7. Attitudinal modifiers	295
13.8. Compound indicators	298
13.9. The uses of indicators	299
13.10. Attitude questions; empathy; attitude contours	300
13.11. Evidentials	302
13.12. Discursives	304
13.13. Miscellaneous indicators	307
13.14. Vocative scales	309
13.15. A sample dialogue	312
13.16. Tentative conclusion	314
14. If Wishes Were Horses: The Lojban Connective System	317
14.1. Logical connection and truth tables	317
14.2. The Four basic vowels	319
14.3. The six types of logical connectives	319
14.4. Logical connection of bridi	320
14.5. Forethought bridi connection	322
14.6. sumti connection	324
14.7. More than two propositions	325
14.8. Grouping of afterthought connectives	326
14.9. Compound bridi	328
14.10. Multiple compound bridi	330
14.11. Termset logical connection	332
14.12. Logical connection within tanru	333
14.13. Truth questions and connective questions	335
14.14. Non-logical connectives	338
14.15. More about non-logical connectives	341
14.16. Interval connectives and forethought non-logical connection	343
14.17. Logical and non-logical connectives within mekso	346
14.18. Tenses, modals, and logical connection	347
14.19. Abstractor connection and connection within abstractions	350
14.20. Constructs and appropriate connectives	351
14.21. Truth functions and corresponding logical connectives	351
14.22. Rules for making logical and non-logical connectives	352
14.23. Locations of other tables	352
15. “No” Problems: On Lojban Negation	353
15.1. Introductory	353
15.2. bridi negation	354
15.3. Scalar Negation	357
15.4. selbri and tanru negation	360
15.5. Expressing scales in selbri negation	363
15.6. sumti negation	365
15.7. Negation of minor grammatical constructs	366
15.8. Truth questions	367
15.9. Affirmations	369
15.10. Metalinguistic negation forms	370
15.11. Summary – Are All Possible Questions About Negation Now Answered?	373
16. “Who Did You Pass On The Road? Nobody”: Lojban And Logic	375
16.1. What's wrong with this picture?	375
16.2. Existential claims, prenexes, and variables	376
16.3. Universal claims	378
16.4. Restricted claims: da poi	379
16.5. Dropping the prenex	380
16.6. Variables with generalized quantifiers	381
16.7. Grouping of quantifiers	382
16.8. The problem of “any”	384
16.9. Negation boundaries	385
16.10. bridi negation and logical connectives	388
16.11. Using naku outside a prenex	389
16.12. Logical Connectives and DeMorgan's Law	392
16.13. selbri variables	394
16.14. A few notes on variables	395
16.15. Conclusion	395
17. As Easy As A-B-C? The Lojban Letteral System And Its Uses	397
17.1. What's a letteral, anyway?	397
17.2. A to Z in Lojban, plus one	398
17.3. Upper and lower cases	399
17.4. The universal bu	400
17.5. Alien alphabets	400
17.6. Accent marks and compound lerfu words	402
17.7. Punctuation marks	403
17.8. What about Chinese characters?	403
17.9. lerfu words as pro-sumti	404
17.10. References to lerfu	405
17.11. Mathematical uses of lerfu strings	406
17.12. Acronyms	407
17.13. Computerized character codes	408
17.14. List of all auxiliary lerfu-word cmavo	409
17.15. Proposed lerfu words – introduction	409
17.16. Proposed lerfu words for the Greek alphabet	409
17.17. Proposed lerfu words for the Cyrillic alphabet	410
17.18. Proposed lerfu words for the Hebrew alphabet	410
17.19. Proposed lerfu words for some accent marks and multiple letters	411
17.20. Proposed lerfu words for radio communication	412
18. lojbau mekso: Mathematical Expressions in Lojban	413
18.1. Introductory	413
18.2. Lojban numbers	414
18.3. Signs and numerical punctuation	414
18.4. Special numbers	416
18.5. Simple infix expressions and equations	417
18.6. Forethought operators (Polish notation, functions)	419
18.7. Other useful selbri for mekso bridi	421
18.8. Indefinite numbers	422
18.9. Approximation and inexact numbers	424
18.10. Non-decimal and compound bases	426
18.11. Special mekso selbri	428
18.12. Number questions	431
18.13. Subscripts	431
18.14. Infix operators revisited	432
18.15. Vectors and matrices	433
18.16. Reverse Polish notation	434
18.17. Logical and non-logical connectives within mekso	435
18.18. Using Lojban resources within mekso	437
18.19. Other uses of mekso	438
18.20. Explicit operator precedence	440
18.21. Miscellany	440
18.22. Four score and seven: a mekso problem	441
18.23. mekso selma'o summary	442
18.24. Complete table of VUhU cmavo, with operand structures	443
18.25. Complete table of PA cmavo: digits, punctuation, and other numbers	443
18.26. Table of MOI cmavo, with associated rafsi and place structures	444
19. Putting It All Together: Notes on the Structure of Lojban Texts	447
19.1. Introductory	447
19.2. Sentences: I	447
19.3. Paragraphs: NIhO	448
19.4. Topic-comment sentences: ZOhU	449
19.5. Questions and answers	451
19.6. Subscripts: XI	453
19.7. Utterance ordinals: MAI	455
19.8. Attitude scope markers: FUhE/FUhO	456
19.9. Quotations: LU, LIhU, LOhU, LEhU	457
19.10. More on quotations: ZO, ZOI	458
19.11. Contrastive emphasis: BAhE	460
19.12. Parenthesis and metalinguistic commentary: TO, TOI, SEI	461
19.13. Erasure: SI, SA, SU	463
19.14. Hesitation: Y	465
19.15. No more to say: FAhO	465
19.16. List of cmavo interactions	466
19.17. List of Elidable Terminators	466
20. A Catalogue of selma'o	467
20.1. A Catalogue Of selma'o	467
21. Formal Grammars	489
21.1. EBNF Grammar of Lojban	489
21.2. EBNF Cross-Reference	494
Lojban Word Glossary	505
General Index	527
Lojban Words Index	571
Examples Index	581