Carbon, aka "David Simon". Lojban enthusiast, general all-purpose geek.
I am the author of the dictionary program Sutfak.
These are the rules I follow when writing Lojban:
- Lujvo should be avoided except when the lujvo consists of no more than one "root" rafsi (with other rafsi either being cmavo rafsi or else gismu rafsi whose meaning in lujvo are extremely well understood, i.e. 'zma' or 'rai'). There is one use of multi-"root"-rafsi lujvo which is acceptable; when the veljvo (selbri that the lujvo expands to) has come to mean something beyond what one might assume upon seeing only the tanru. For example, the lujvo 'brivla' means more than merely a bridi-like word; it refers to a specific concept that has, over time, been associated with an originally general tanru. With these sorts of lujvo, the reader can gain a general grasp of an unfamiliar lujvo's meaning by expanding it into a tanru, but they should understand that the term has a meaning beyond the expanded phrase; else, it wouldn't have become a lujvo (at least, if everyone followed my rule).
- Sumti should not be used by themselves except as answers to questions. Use 'me' for quote/name observatives.