zo is the only word in selma'o ZO. zo quotes a single Lojban word. zo is one of the Magic Words.
.i go do nunpreti zo zo gi do djuno lo du'u pilno zo zo
For every magic word, the interaction with all other magic words is defined. This table covers all interactions of zo+word, where word is any of the magic words, both alone and within their own grammatical contexts.
| bu | zo bu | any-word | zo binds with bu, rather than bu binding with zo | |
| zo .ybu | any-word | zo binds with .ybu | *controversial | |
| zo .abu | any-word bu | zo binds with .a, bu binds with zo .a, creating the {zo a} letteral. | ||
| zo zo bu | any-word bu | zo binds with zo, bu binds with zo zo, creating the {zo zo} letteral. | ||
| fa'o | zo fa'o | any-word | zo binds with fa'o | |
| lo'u | zo lo'u | any-word | zo binds with lo'u | |
| zo lo'u le'u | any-word [ungrammatical] | zo binds with lo'u, leaving le'u, which is ungrammatical | ||
| le'u | zo le'u | any-word | zo binds with le'u | |
| sa | zo sa | any-word | zo binds with sa | |
| zo sa broda | any-word brivla | zo binds with sa, leaving broda | ||
| si | zo si | any-word | zo binds with si | |
| zo si si | nil | zo binds with the first si, creating any-word. The second si erases the any-word. | ||
| su | zo su | any-word | zo binds with su | |
| zei | zo zei | any-word | zo binds with zei | |
| zo broda zei brode | ZEI-brivla | zo binds with broda, and zei binds with {zo broda} and {brode}. | ||
| broda zei zo brode | ZEI-brivla brode | zei binds with broda and zo, which is followed by brode | *controversial | |
| zo | zo | [ungrammatical] | zo must have another word to quote. | |
| zo zo | any-word | the first zo binds with the second zo | ||
| zo zo zo | any-word [ungrammatical] | the first zo binds with the second zo, while the third zo has nothing to bind to, making it ungrammatical. | ||
| zoi | zo zoi | any-word | zo binds with zoi | |
| zo zoi broda broda | any-word brivla brivla | zo binds with zoi, leaving broda broda | ||
Q: in {zo bu}, zo binds with bu. How do I make bu bind with zo to create a zo letteral?
A: {zo zo bu} is the closest approximation, though you could argue that the meaning of zo is lost before bu binds.
Q: Why is {zo .abu} ((zo a) bu)? Wouldn't it make sense to allow zo to quote selma'o BY?
A: While this simple case look compelling, {bu} can also be used on lo'u ... le'u quotes. That means you could get bu phrases that are quite lengthy: {lo'u broda brode brodi brodo brodu le'u bu}. One of the appealing attributes of {zo} is the speed and simplicity it offers for quoting single words. If {zo} could quote {bu}, the listener would have to wait until the end of this statement: {zo lo'u broda le'u bu} to realize that more than one word (i.e., a pseudo-word) was being quoted. By not allowing pseudo-words to be quoted with {zo}, the listener is relieved of the burden of waiting for a pseudo-word to be fully spoken.
Q: in {za sa}, zo binds with sa. How do I restart my zo utterance with sa?
A: You must complete the zo quote and then erase the created pseudo-word: {zo broda sa zo brode}. {sa zo} erases the pseudo-word {zo broda} and replaces it with {zo}, after which the next word will be quoted. {zo broda sa zo brode} is the same as {zo brode}.
Q: in {zo si}, zo binds with si. How do I erase zo with si?
A: You must complete the zo quote and then erase the created pseudo-word: {zo si si}. Note that you can quote any word with zo, {zo broda si} has the same effect.
Q: {zo zo broda} does not quote {zo broda}. How do I quote a {zo broda} construct?
A: Use lu ... li'u to quote Lojban text longer than a single word.