WikiDiscuss

pc:
> Well, the obvious and natural solution does not
> fit any of these choices exactly: recognize that
> {lo}, {le} and {la} refer to groups (or whatever;
> the terms keep shifting here) as well as {loi},
> {lei} and {lai} do. Then we get the natural
> result: external quantifiers refer to subgroups
> of the indicated size, whether absolute,
> proportional to the size of indicated group, or
> relative to the (usually implicit) state of
> affairs used for comparison.

Let's say we do that. Then we'd have:

1- PA lo plise = PA da poi ke'a plise

2- PA lo'i plise = lo selcmi be PA da poi ke'a plise

But what do we do with {PA lo selcmi be lo plise}?
We have two choices:

3a- PA lo selcmi be lo plise = PA da poi ke'a selcmi be lo plise

3b- PA lo selcmi be lo plise = lo selcmi be PA da poi ke'a plise

3a is the obvious first choice: in {PA lo broda}, PA should always
count the number of brodas, so in {PA lo selcmi} PA should count sets.
But, if we go with that, what happens when {ko'a} is given a set
as referent? Does a quantifier quantify over sets or over members of
the set? Do we have to remember how ko'a was assigned to a set?

ko'a goi lo selcmi be lo broda
....
PA ko'a: PA counts sets.

ko'a goi lo'i broda
...
PA ko'a: PA counts brodas

So it would not be the case that lo'i broda cu du lo selcmi be lo broda.

If we choose 3b instead, then what PA in {PA lo broda} counts will
depend on what broda is. Normally it will count brodas, but if broda
have members, it counts the members. This is very unsatisfying.

So these three are not all compatible:

1) In {PA lo broda}, PA always counts brodas.

2) In {PA lo'i broda}, PA counts brodas.

3) lo'i broda cu du lo selcmi be lo broda

If we want a consistent interpretation we must give up one of
those three. For me, the easiest to give up is (2).

We can also, of course, adopt an inconsistent interpretation. In
practice quantifiers on {lo'i} are hardly ever used, or not at all,
so adopting an inconsistent interpretation won't cause much trouble.

mu'o mi'e xorxes

__
Do you Yahoo!?
New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail