History: common beginner misunderstanding database

Source of version: 11

This page tends to be an "add as you go" page that answers questions that beginners and intermediates may ask about particular elements in the language that confuses them or they find to be "void." Such as the lack of gramatic gender. While it is to be expected that these questions are vague and underinformed, and we should do our best to answer them regardless, that does not excuse not doing one's best to ask precise and informed questions. The more effort you put into the question, the more you'll get out of the answer. !Remember folks, Translation Is Hard. You can't translate anything you don't understand. !!!Why isn't there anything like his/her, and what can I use to get that effect? Different languages have different concepts of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_gender|gender]. In Lojban, the closest thing to it is the textual gender used to assign lerfu variables to referents. See ((lerfu pro-sumti, and why ko'a sucks)) for more information on some Lojbanic ways to deal with anaphora. !!!I am translating a language that the speaker refers to him/her self using various different words, should I and how can I translate those to lojban? (For instance, Japanese; watashi, atashi, boku, ore, sessha, etc) This requires actually understanding the meaning of the words. In Japanese, contrary to popular belief, the words do not imply the gender of the speaker. Rather, they reflect the speaker's attitude and politeness about and towards the environment around him, and his perceived status in it. Combinations of le'o, ga'i and others suffice in this case. In the case of actual gender, there is no attitudinal. However, consider, is the speaker actually making a point of the gender? Or are they simply following the rules of the language, in the most expedient fashion possible? We suggest you do the same (in either case: if the speaker needs to state something about someone's gender, then by all means do so explicitly. You can use words like {nakni} and {fetsi} and add incidental information with {noi} clauses, perhaps). !!!Can I write le mibrirni/doirirni <unrelated bridi> to mean "I"/"You listers" with "{I am/You listeners are} a/as-a parent" as some incidental information, like when you refer to someone in other languages? (Related to the previous question but not entirely.) No. ''mibrirni'' is a lujvo and, whatever it means, it functions like any other brivla, so {le mibrirni} is a sumti that refers to that which I describe as a mibrirni (a "me-parent", either my parent(s) or myself as a parent maybe) and it will fill a place in a bridi like any other sumti. ''doirirni'' = ''doi rirni'' (two separate words even if you don't write a space between them) is a vocative you can use to address your parent(s). Grammar and morphology issues aside, do you mean something like "Now I know all you loving parents are hardworking decent people..."? Or something like that? You can use {doi} vocatives to indicate whom you're talking to. {doi rirni} means "I'm addressing you, parent(s)," but on the other side, if the audience knows who they are, it therefore means that you, the audience, are parents. You can do something similar with {mi'e}, but ((Mark Shoulson|I)) don't really see how to fit that in naturally. I don't think I understand the context of the question in this matter. Information incidental to something that's already being mentioned is done well with {noi}. !!!Why does no one like my lujvo? Making bad lujvo is easy. Making good, understandable lujvo is subtle. It requires a nontrivial grasp of Lojban, and a solid idea of what lujvo you're trying to make. In particular, you have to understand that you're translating a concept, not a single word. Hot tip: think about how you'd use it in a sentence as the selbri, not in part of a sumti.

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Sat 01 of Jul, 2006 01:35 GMT arran4 from 203.214.51.192 I shouldn't have tried to make up questions. :S	13		Actions View Source
Thu 02 of Feb, 2006 09:08 GMT inego from 194.126.170.250	12		Actions View Source
Thu 02 of Feb, 2006 08:25 GMT JayKominek from 24.8.110.164	11		Actions View Source
Thu 02 of Feb, 2006 04:16 GMT arran4 from 203.214.12.107	10		Actions View Source
Wed 01 of Feb, 2006 20:46 GMT arran4 from 203.214.12.107	9		Actions View Source
Wed 01 of Feb, 2006 17:22 GMT clsn from 66.134.26.207	8		Actions View Source
Wed 01 of Feb, 2006 12:52 GMT xorxes from 200.123.104.43	7		Actions View Source
Wed 01 of Feb, 2006 12:50 GMT xorxes from 200.123.104.43	6		Actions View Source
Tue 31 of Jan, 2006 23:26 GMT JayKominek from 128.138.131.250	5		Actions View Source
Tue 31 of Jan, 2006 23:22 GMT JayKominek from 128.138.131.250	4		Actions View Source
Tue 31 of Jan, 2006 23:04 GMT Eimi from 128.252.20.65	3		Actions View Source
Tue 31 of Jan, 2006 22:46 GMT Eimi from 128.252.20.65	2		Actions View Source
Tue 31 of Jan, 2006 22:32 GMT arran4 from 203.214.12.107	1		Actions View Source

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