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Brevity Is The Soul Of Language: Pro-sumti And Pro-bridi
The Lojban Reference Grammar |
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Reflexive and reciprocal pro-sumti: the vo'a-series |
The following cmavo are discussed in this section:
zo'e KOhA zo'e-series the obvious value zu'i KOhA zo'e-series the typical value zi'o KOhA zo'e-series the nonexistent value co'e GOhA co'e-series has the obvious relationshipThe cmavo of the zo'e-series represent indefinite, unspecified sumti. The cmavo ``zo'e'' represents an elliptical value for this sumti place; it is the optional spoken place holder when a sumti is skipped without being specified. Note that the elliptical value is not always the typical value. The properties of ellipsis lead to an elliptical sumti being defined as ``whatever I want it to mean but haven't bothered to figure out, or figure out how to express''.
The cmavo ``zu'i'', on the other hand, represents the typical value for this place of this bridi:
7.1) mi klama le bartu be le zdani le nenri be le zdani zu'i zu'i I go to-the outside of the house from-the inside of the house [by-typical-route] [by-typical-means]
In Example 7.1, the first ``zu'i'' probably means something like ``by the door'', and the second ``zu'i'' probably means something like ``on foot'', those being the typical route and means for leaving a house. On the other hand, if you are at the top of a high rise during a fire, neither ``zu'i'' is appropriate. It's also common to use ``zu'i'' in ``by standard'' places.
Finally, the cmavo ``zi'o'' represents a value which does not even exist. When a bridi fills one of its places with ``zi'o'', what is really meant is that the selbri has a place which is irrelevant to the true relationship the speaker wishes to express. For example, the place structure of ``zbasu'' is
This cannot be correctly expressed as:
7.2) loi jmive cu se zbasu [zo'e] fi loi selci The-mass-of living-things is-made [by-something] from the-mass-of cellsbecause the ``zo'e'', expressed or understood, in Example 7.2 indicates that there is still a ``maker'' in this relationship. We do not generally suppose, however, that someone ``makes'' living things from cells. The best answer is probably to find a different selbri, one which does not imply a ``maker'': however, an alternative strategy is to use ``zi'o'' to eliminate the maker place:
7.3) loi jmive cu se zbasu zi'o loi selci The-mass-of living-things is-made [without-maker] from the-mass-of cells.Note: The use of ``zi'o'' to block up, as it were, one place of a selbri actually creates a new selbri with a different place structure. Consider the following examples:
7.4) mi zbasu le dinju loi mudri I make the building from-some-of-the-mass-of wood. I make the building out of wood. 7.5) zi'o zbasu le dinju loi mudri [without-maker] makes the building from-some-of-the-mass-of wood. The building is made out of wood. 7.6) mi zbasu zi'o loi mudri I make [without-thing-made] from-some-of-the-mass-of wood. I build using wood. 7.7) mi zbasu loi mudri zi'o I make the building [without-material]. I make the building.
If Example 7.4 is true, then Examples 7.5 through 7.7 must be true also. However, Example 7.3 does not correspond to any sentence with three regular (non-``zi'o'') sumti.
The pro-bridi ``co'e'' (which by itself constitutes the co'e-series of selma'o GOhA) represents the elliptical selbri. Lojban grammar does not allow the speaker to merely omit a selbri from a bridi, although any or all sumti may be freely omitted. Being vague about a relationship requires the use of ``co'e'' as a selbri place-holder:
7.8) mi troci le nu mi co'e le vorme I try the event-of my [doing-the-obvious-action] to-the door. I try the door.
The English version means, and the Lojban version probably means, that I try to open the door, but the relationship of opening is not actually specified; the Lojbanic listener must guess it from context. Lojban, unlike English, makes it clear that there is an implicit action that is not being expressed.
The form of ``co'e'' was chosen to resemble ``zo'e''; the cmavo ``do'e'' of selma'o BAI (see Chapter 9) also belongs to the same group of cmavo.
Note that ``do'i'', of the di'u-series, is also a kind of indefinite pro-sumti: it is indefinite in referent, but is restricted to referring only to an utterance.
Previous
Anaphoric pro-sumti and pro-bridi: the ri-series and the go'i-series |
Brevity Is The Soul Of Language: Pro-sumti And Pro-bridi
The Lojban Reference Grammar |
Next
Reflexive and reciprocal pro-sumti: the vo'a-series |