This is (unofficially) the official(est) Conversation Guide to Lojban, otherwise known as {la selsnu gidva}. Right now, as you can see, we're still in the infancy stages of development, but please feel free to contribute. The guide can't grow without your blood, sweat and tears!
The idea behind the 'conversation guide' is to create a listing of topics from 'home items' to 'business place' to 'sports' and so on. In each list can include subtopics such as 'kitchen and cooking' in 'home' and 'American Football' under 'sports'. There are several goals behind this idea:
This is a basic list of broad topics which started with the proposal to the Lojban list and has since expanded drastically due to the grand enthusiasm of some of the Lojban community. Please feel free to contribute any topics, subtopics, words and word requests, and/or useful phrases.
If you're not digging the humour found throughout the guide, then you need to seriously reconsider your views on life. For those that dig it, please keep up the spirit in your contributions. Keeping a light-hearted sense of humour throughout the guide not only makes it fun to contribute, but fun to use. Keep in mind that any immature/lewd jokes are not welcome, and anything compromising the usefulness of the guide in favour of being funny is exactly that, compromising the usefulness of the guide. I hope I've set up a good example/template for further contributions and that the project spins wildly out of my control because so many people are interested in contributing. Thank you so very much to the people that have taken an interest already.
Some have pointed out that the lists do not have full definitions. Yes, I know this. We're linking back to JVS for the full definitions, notes, usage, etc. The list is meant simply to contain glosses and short, common phrases one might need during conversation. It is meant to look general, short, small, and basic as to not overwhelm or add visual noise to what is meant to be a fun and amusing project that should encourage study. Should the majority of the people using this decide or request for the definitions to be right on the page, we'll change things.
ALL WORDS SHOULD LINK BACK TO JVS ARTICLES
Pluses are placed next to sections which, for now, have enough English vocab to get started. Adding more English vocab is still good, but please focus on adding Lojban or example phrases to these sections, and put more attention into sections which do not yet have enough English vocabulary. Thank you! <3
If anybody has the time, can we please somehow transpose the Lojban Phrasebook into the project, or link into it so it's readily available along with the guide?
Once we have these pages really worked out and enough vocabulary available, we need to alphabetise the lists and move undefined words to a new header on each page. I see that there has already been an attempt to organise things, which I've already ruined, but it is still greatly appreciated. Let's work on keeping the child pages similar in appearance to the main list so we have a consistent feel throughout.
If you are not familiar with the commonly accepted method of lujvo or fu'ivla creation, or if you do not feel entirely comfortable in creating ones which will seem proper to senior/more fluent Lojbanists, you can still contribute by listing words that fit under these topics and suggest possible gismu that closely match to the intended meaning, or by searching for words on jbovlaste and placing them in the proper sections, remembering to link back to the article.
By the way, it has been pointed out to me that a terminology page exists, but I hardly find myself digging for the lojban word for the square root of negative one or how to say "triple-bypass heart surgery". However, I do find myself trying to name various utensils in my kitchen, different dishes I prepare for dinner, the names of particular pieces of furniture, household items, and normal, plain, human words that stupid people like to use (like "pot" or "noodle" or "Screw it, lets just go out somewhere." and "I'd like a double-cheeseburger and a chocolate shake, please.").