Here are a few examples of each kind of sumti:
Most of this chapter is about descriptions, as they have the most complicated
syntax and usage. Some attention is also given to names, which are closely
interwoven with descriptions. Pro-sumti, numbers, and quotations are
described in more detail in Chapter 7, Chapter 18, and Chapter 19 respectively,
so this chapter only gives summaries of their forms and uses. See
Section 13 through Section 15 for these summaries.
English-speakers typically would not do this, as we tend to be more attached
to the sound of our names than their meaning, even if the meaning
(etymological or current) is known. Speakers of other languages may feel
differently. (In point of fact, ``Frank'' originally meant ``the free one''
rather than ``the honest one''.)
So while Example 2.6 could easily be true (there is a real writer named
``Greg Bear''), and Example 2.8 could be true if the speaker is sufficiently
peculiar in what he or she describes as a bear, Example 2.9 is certainly
false.
Similarly, compare the following two examples, which are analogous to
Example 2.8 and Example 2.9 respectively:
The following cmavo are discussed in this section:
But suppose I am not willing to claim that. For in fact pianos are heavy,
and very few persons can carry a piano all by themselves. The most likely
factual situation is that person 1 carried one end of the piano, and
person 2 the other end, while person 3 either held up the middle or else
supervised the whole operation without actually lifting anything.
The correct way of expressing such a situation in Lojban is:
The following cmavo are discussed in this section:
The mass of rats is small because at least one rat is small; the mass
of rats is also large; the set of rats, though, is unquestionably large --
it has billions of members. The mass of rats is also brown, since
some of its components are; but it would be incorrect to call the set
of rats brown --- brown-ness is not the sort of property that sets
possess.
Why is it necessary for the x3 place of ``fadni'' to be a set? Because it
makes no sense for an individual to be typical of another individual: an
individual is typical of a group. In order to make sure that the bridi
containing ``fadni'' is about an entire group, its x3 place must be filled
with a set:
Note that the x2 place has been omitted; I am not specifying in exactly
which way I am typical --- whether in language knowledge, or age, or
interests, or something else. If ``lo'i'' were changed to ``lo'' in Example 4.4,
the meaning would be something like ``I am typical of some Lojban user'',
which is nonsense.
The following cmavo are discussed in this section:
Furthermore,
The following cmavo are discussed in this section:
Now consider Example 6.1 again. How many of the listeners are claimed to
walk on the ice? The answer turns out to be: all of them, however
many that is. So Example 6.1 and Example 6.4:
What is the implicit quantifier of the quotation ``lu do cadzu le bisli li'u''?
Surely not ``ro''. If ``ro'' were supplied explicitly, thus:
If an explicit ordinary number such as ``re'' were to appear, it would have to
convey an exact expression, so
The following cmavo are discussed in this section:
For example, the context of Example 7.1 supposedly told us that ``le gerku''
referred to some three specific dogs. This assumption can be made
certain with the use of an explicit inner quantifier:
1. The five kinds of simple sumti
1.1) mi klama le zarci
I go-to the market
1.2) e'osai ko sarji la lojban.
Please support Lojban!
Example 1.2 exhibits ``ko'', a pro-sumti; and ``la lojban.'', a name.
1.3) mi cusku lu e'osai li'u le tcidu
I express ``Please!'' to-the reader.
Example 1.3 exhibits ``mi'', a pro-sumti; ``lu e'osai li'u'', a quotation;
and ``le tcidu'', a description.
1.4) ti mitre li ci
This measures-in-meters the-number three.
This is three meters long.
Example 1.4 exhibits ``ti'', a pro-sumti; and ``li ci'', a number.
2. The three basic description types
le LE the, the one(s) described as
lo LE some, some of those which really are
la LA the one(s) named
ku KU elidable terminator for LE, LA
2.1) le zarci
one-or-more-specific-things-each-of-which-
I-describe-as being-a-market
the market
2.2) le zarci
cu barda
one-or-more-specific-things-which-I-describe as ``markets''
is/are-big.
The market is big.
The markets are big.
2.3) le nanmu cu ninmu
one-or-more-specific-things-which-I-describe as ``men''
are women
The man is a woman.
The men are women.
2.4) lo zarci
one-or-more-of-all-the-things-which-really are-markets
a market
some markets
must be false in Lojban, given that there are no objects in the real world
which are both men and women. Pointing at some specific men or
women would not make Example 2.5 true, because those specific individuals
are no more both-men-and-women than any others. In general, ``lo'' refers
to whatever individuals meet its description.
2.6) la cribe pu finti le lisri
the-one-named ``bear'' [past] creates the story.
Bear wrote the story.
2.7) la stace pu citka lo cirla
The-one-called ``Honest/Frank'' [past] eats some cheese.
2.8) le cribe pu finti le lisri
One-or-more-specific-things-which-I-describe-as a-bear
[past] creates the story.
The bear(s) wrote the story.
2.9) lo cribe pu finti le lisri
One-or-more-of-the-things-which-really are-bears
[past] creates the story.
A bear wrote the story.
Some bears wrote the story.
Example 2.8 is about a specific bear or bearlike thing(s), or thing(s) which
the speaker (perhaps whimsically or metaphorically) describes as a bear
(or more than one); Example 2.9 is about one or more of the really existing,
objectively defined bears. In either case, though, each of them must have
contributed to the writing of the story, if more than one bear (or ``bear'')
is meant.
2.10) le remna pu finti le lisri
The human being(s) wrote the story.
2.11) lo remna pu finti le lisri
A human being wrote the story.
Some human beings wrote the story.
Example 2.10 says who the author of the story is: one or more particular
human beings that the speaker has in mind. If the topic of conversation
is the story, then Example 2.10 identifies the author as someone who can
be pointed out or who has been previously mentioned; whereas if the topic is
a person, then ``le remna'' is in effect a shorthand reference to that person.
Example 2.11 merely says that the author is human.
3. Individuals and masses
lei LE the mass I describe as
loi LE part of the mass of those which really are
lai LA the mass of those named
3.1) le prenu cu bevri le pipno
One-or-more-of-those-I-describe-as persons
carry the piano.
The person(s) carry the piano.
(Of course the second ``le'' should really get the same translation as the
first, but I am putting the focus of this discussion on the first ``le'', the
one preceding ``prenu''. I will assume that there is only one piano under
discussion.)
3.2) lei prenu cu bevri le pipno
The-mass-of-one-or-more-of-those-I-describe-as persons
carry the piano.
3.3) loi cinfo cu xabju le fi'ortu'a
part-of-the-mass-of-those-which-really are-lions
dwell in-the African-land.
The lion dwells in Africa.
Lions dwell in Africa.
3.4) loi glinanmu cu xabju le fi'ortu'a
part-of-the-mass-of-those-which-really are-English-men
dwell in-the African-land.
The Englishman dwells in Africa.
since there is at least one Englishman living there. Section 4 explains
another method of saying what is usually meant by ``The lion lives in
Africa'' which does imply that living in Africa is normal, not exceptional,
for lions.
3.5) loi matne cu ranti
part-of-the-mass-of-that-which-really
is-a-quantity-of-butter is-soft.
Butter is soft.
3.6) lai cribe pu finti
le vi cukta
the-mass-of-those-named ``bear'' [past] creates
the nearby book.
The Bears wrote this book.
4. Masses and sets
le'i LE the set described as
lo'i LE the set of those which really are
la'i LA the set of those named
4.1) lo ratcu cu bunre
one-or-more-of-those-which-really-are rats are-brown.
Some rats are brown.
4.2) loi ratcu
cu cmalu
part-of-the-mass-of-those-which-really-are rats
are-small.
Rats are small.
4.3) lo'i ratcu cu barda
The-set-of rats is-large.
There are a lot of rats.
4.4) mi fadni fi lo'i lobypli
I am-ordinary among the-set-of Lojban-users.
I am a typical Lojban user.
5. Descriptors for typical objects
lo'e LE the typical
le'e LE the stereotypical
5.1) lo'e cinfo cu xabju le fi'ortu'a
The-typical lion dwells-in the African-land.
The lion dwells in Africa.
5.2) lo'e glinanmu cu xabju le fi'ortu'a
na.e le gligugde
The-typical English-man dwells-in the African-land
(Not!) and the English-country.
The typical Englishman dwells not in Africa
but in England.
5.3) le'e xelso merko
cu gusta ponse
The-stereotypical Greek-type-of American
is-a-restaurant-type-of owner.
Lots of Greek-Americans own restaurants.
5.4) le'e skina cu se finti ne'i la xali,uyd.
The-stereotypical movie is-invented in Hollywood.
is probably true to an American, but might be false (not the stereotype)
to someone living in India or Russia.
6. Quantified sumti
ro PA all of/each of
su'o PA at least (one of)
6.1) do cadzu le bisli
You walk-on the ice.
6.2) re do cadzu le bisli
Two-of you walk-on the ice.
6.3) mi ponse su'o ci cutci
I possess at-least three shoes.
6.4) ro do cadzu le bisli
All-of you walk-on the ice.
6.5) mi cusku lu do cadzu le bisli li'u
I express [quote] you walk-on the ice [unquote].
I say, ``You walk on the ice.''
6.6) mi cusku ro lu do cadzu le bisli li'u
I express all-of [quote] you walk-on the ice [unquote].
the meaning would be something like ``I say every occurrence of the
sentence 'You walk on the ice'''. Of course I don't say every occurrence
of it, only some occurrences. One might suppose that Example 6.5 means
that I express exactly one occurrence, but it is more Lojbanic to leave
the number unspecified, as with other sumti. We can say definitely,
however, that I say it at least once.
6.7) mi cusku su'o lu do cadzu
le bisli li'u
I express at-least-one-of [quote] you walk-on
the ice [unquote].
I say one or more instances of ``You walk on the ice''.
I say ``You walk on the ice''.
6.8) mi cusku re lu do cadzu le bisli li'u
I express two-of [quote] you walk-on the ice [unquote].
means that I say the sentence exactly twice, neither more nor less.
7. Quantified descriptions
piro PA the whole of
pisu'o PA a part of
7.1) re le gerku cu blabi
two-of the dogs are-white.
Two of the dogs are white.
7.2) re le ci gerku cu blabi
two-of the three dogs are-white.
Two of the three dogs are white.
(As explained in the discussion of Example 6.3, simple numbers like those in
Example 7.2 must be exact: it therefore follows that the third dog cannot
be white.)
7.3) le ci gerku cu blabi
the three dogs are-white.
The three dogs are white.