PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN OLD VERSION. The current version is linked from The Complete Lojban Language.
This section and Section 15 contain some
example tanru classified into groups based on the type of
relationship between the modifying seltau and the modified
tertau. All the examples are paralleled by compounds actually
observed in various natural languages. In the tables which
follow, each group is preceded by a brief explanation of the
relationship. The tables themselves contain a tanru, a literal
gloss, an indication of the languages which exhibit a compound
analogous to this tanru, and (for those tanru with no English
parallel) a translation.
Here are the 3-letter abbreviations used for the various
languages (it is presumed to be obvious whether a compound is
found in English or not, so English is not explicitly
noted):
- Aba = Abazin Chi = Chinese Eng = English Ewe = Ewe Fin =
Finnish Geo = Georgian Gua = Guarani Hop = Hopi Hun =
Hungarian Imb = Imbabura Quechua Kar = Karaitic Kaz = Kazakh
Kor = Korean Mon = Mongolian Qab = Qabardian Que = Quechua
Rus = Russian Skt = Sanskrit Swe = Swedish Tur = Turkish Udm
= Udmurt
Any lujvo or fu'ivla used in a group are glossed at the end
of that group.
The tanru discussed in this section are asymmetrical tanru;
that is, ones in which the order of the terms is fundamental to
the meaning of the tanru. For example, ``junla dadylsi'', or
``clock pendulum'', is the kind of pendulum used in a clock,
whereas ``dadysli junla'', or ``pendulum clock'', is the kind
of clock that employs a pendulum. Most tanru are asymmetrical
in this sense. Symmetrical tanru are discussed in Section 15.
The tertau represents an action, and the seltau then
represents the object of that action:
- pinsi kilbra
- pencil sharpener (Hun) zgike nunctu music instruction
(Hun) mirli nunkalte deer hunting (Hun) finpe nunkalte fish
hunting (Tur,Kor,Udm,Aba = fishing) smacu terkavbu mousetrap
(Tur,Kor,Hun,Udm,Aba) zdani turni house ruler (Kar = host)
zerle'a nunte'a thief fear (Skt = fear of thieves) cevni
zekri god crime (Skt = offense against the gods) kilbra =
sharp-apparatus nunctu = event-of-teaching nunkalte =
event-of-hunting terkavbu = trap zerle'a = crime-taker
nunte'a = event-of-fearing
The tertau represents a set, and the seltau the type of the
elements contained in that set:
- zdani lijgri
- house row selci lamgri cell block karda mulgri card pack
(Swe) rokci derxi stone heap (Swe) tadni girzu student group
(Hun) remna girzu human-being group (Qab = group of people)
cpumi'i lijgri tractor column (Qab) cevni jenmi god army
(Skt) cevni prenu god folk (Skt) lijgri = line-group lamgri =
adjacent-group mulgri = complete-group cpami'i =
pull-machine
Conversely: the tertau is an element, and the seltau represents
a set in which that element is contained. Implicitly, the
meaning of the tertau is restricted from its usual general
meaning to the specific meaning appropriate for elements in the
given set. Note the opposition between ``zdani linji'' in the
previous group, and ``linji zdani'' in this one, which shows
why this kind of tanru is called ``asymmetrical''.
- carvi dirgo
- raindrop (Tur,Kor,Hun,Udm,Aba) linji zdani row house
The seltau specifies an object and the tertau a component or
detail of that object; the tanru as a whole refers to the
detail, specifying that it is a detail of that whole and not
some other.
- junla dadysli
- clock pendulum (Hun) purdi vorme garden door (Qab) purdi
bitmu garden wall (Que) moklu skapi mouth skin (Imb = lips)
nazbi kevna nose hole (Imb = nostril) karce xislu automobile
wheel (Chi) jipci pimlu chicken feather (Chi) vinji rebla
airplane tail (Chi) dadysli = hang-oscillator
Conversely: the seltau specifies a characteristic or important
detail of the object described by the tertau; objects described
by the tanru as a whole are differentiated from other similar
objects by this detail.
- pixra cukta
- picture book kerfa silka hair silk (Kar = velvet) plise
tapla apple cake (Tur) dadysli junla pendulum clock (Hun)
dadysli = hang-oscillator
The tertau specifies a general class of object (a genus), and
the seltau specifies a sub-class of that class (a species):
- ckunu tricu
- pine tree (Hun,Tur,Hop)
The tertau specifies an object of possession, and the seltau
may specify the possessor (the possession may be intrinsic or
otherwise). In English, these compounds have an explicit
possessive element in them: ``lion's mane'', ``child's foot'',
``noble's cow''.
- cinfo kerfa
- lion mane (Kor,Tur,Hun,Udm,Qab) verba jamfu child foot
(Swe) nixli tuple girl leg (Swe) cinfo jamfu lion foot (Que)
danlu skapi animal skin (Ewe) ralju zdani chief house (Ewe)
jmive munje living world (Skt) nobli bakni noble cow (Skt)
nolraitru ralju king chief (Skt = emperor) nolraitru =
nobly-superlative-ruler
The tertau specifies a habitat, and the seltau specifies the
inhabitant:
- lanzu tumla
- family land
The tertau specifies a causative agent, and the seltau
specifies the effect of that cause:
- kalselvi'i gapci
- tear gas (Hun) terbi'a jurme disease germ (Tur) fenki
litki crazy liquid (Hop = whisky) pinca litki urine liquid
(Hop = beer) kalselvi'i = eye-excreted-thing terbi'a =
disease
Conversely: the tertau specifies an effect, and the seltau
specifies its cause.
- djacu barna
- water mark (Chi)
The tertau specifies an instrument, and the seltau specifies
the purpose of that instrument:
- taxfu dadgreku
- garment rack (Chi) tergu'i ti'otci lamp shade (Chi) xirma
zdani horse house (Chi = stall) nuzba tanbo news board (Chi =
bulletin board) dadgreku = hang-frame tergu'i = source of
illumination ti'otci = shadow-tool
More vaguely: the tertau specifies an instrument, and the
seltau specifies the object of the purpose for which that
instrument is used:
- cpina rokci
- pepper stone (Que = stone for grinding pepper) jamfu
djacu foot water (Skt = water for washing the feet) grana
mudri post wood (Skt = wood for making a post) moklu djacu
mouth water (Hun = water for washing the mouth) lanme gerku
sheep dog (dog for working sheep)
The tertau specifies a product from some source, and the seltau
specifies the source of the product:
- moklu djacu
- mouth water (Aba,Qab = saliva) ractu mapku rabbit hat
(Rus) jipci sovda chicken egg (Chi) sikcurnu silka silkworm
silk (Chi) mlatu kalci cat feces (Chi) bifce lakse bee wax
(Chi = beeswax) cribe rectu bear meat (Tur,Kor,Hun,Udm,Aba)
solxrula grasu sunflower oil (Tur,Kor,Hun,Udm,Aba) bifce
jisra bee juice (Hop = honey) tatru litki breast liquid (Hop
= milk) kanla djacu eye water (Kor = tear) sikcurnu =
silk-worm solxrula = solar-flower
Conversely: the tertau specifies the source of a product, and
the seltau specifies the product:
- silna jinto
- salt well (Chi) kolme terkakpa coal mine (Chi) ctile
jinto oil well (Chi) terkakpa = source of digging
The tertau specifies an object, and the seltau specifies the
material from which the object is made. This case is especially
interesting, because the referent of the tertau may normally be
made from just one kind of material, which is then overridden
in the tanru.
- rokci cinfo
- stone lion snime nanmu snow man (Hun) kliti cipni clay
bird blaci kanla glass eye (Hun) blaci kanla glass eye (Que =
spectacles) solji sicni gold coin (Tur) solji junla gold
watch (Tur,Kor,Hun) solji djine gold ring (Udm,Aba,Que) rokci
zdani stone house (Imb) mudri zdani wood house (Ewe = wooden
house) rokci bitmu stone wall (Ewe) solji carce gold chariot
(Skt) mudri xarci wood weapon (Skt = wooden weapon) cmaro'i
dargu pebble road (Chi) sudysrasu cutci straw shoe (Chi)
cmaro'i = small-rock sudysrasu = dry-grass
Note: the two senses of ``blaci kanla'' can be discriminated
as:
- blaci kanla bo tarmi
- glass (eye shape) = glass eye blaci kanla bo sidju glass
(eye helper) = spectacles
The tertau specifies a typical object used to measure a
quantity and the seltau specifies something measured. The tanru
as a whole refers to a given quantity of the thing being
measured. English does not have compounds of this form, as a
rule.
- tumla spisa
- land piece (Tur = piece of land) tcati kabri tea cup
(Kor,Aba = cup of tea) nanba spisa bread piece (Kor = piece
of bread) bukpu spisa cloth piece (Udm,Aba = piece of cloth)
djacu calkyguzme water calabash (Ewe = calabash of water)
calkyguzme = shell-fruit, calabash
The tertau specifies an object with certain implicit
properties, and the seltau overrides one of those implicit
properties:
- kensa bloti
- spaceship bakni verba cattle child (Ewe = calf)
The seltau specifies a whole, and the tertau specifies a part
which normally is associated with a different whole. The tanru
then refers to a part of the seltau which stands in the same
relationship to the whole seltau as the tertau stands to its
typical whole.
- kosta degji
- coat finger (Hun = coat sleeve) denci genja tooth root
(Imb) tricu stedu tree head (Imb = treetop)
The tertau specifies the producer of a certain product, and the
seltau specifies the product. In this way, the tanru as a whole
distinguishes its referents from other referents of the tertau
which do not produce the product.
- silka curnu
- silkworm (Tur,Hun,Aba)
The tertau specifies an object, and the seltau specifies
another object which has a characteristic property. The tanru
as a whole refers to those referents of the tertau which
possess the property.
- sonci manti
- soldier ant ninmu bakni woman cattle (Imb = cow) mamta
degji mother finger (Imb = thumb) cifnu degji baby finger
(Imb = pinky) pacraistu zdani hell house (Skt) fagri dapma
fire curse (Skt = curse destructive as fire) pacraistu =
evil-superlative-site
As a particular case (when the property is that of
resemblance): the seltau specifies an object which the referent
of the tanru resembles.
- grutrceraso jbama
- cherry bomb solji kerfa gold hair (Hun = golden hair)
kanla djacu eye water (Kar = spring) bakni rokci bull stone
(Mon = boulder) grutrceraso = fu'ivla for ``cherry'' based on
Linnean name sorprema'e = many-person-vehicle
The seltau specifies a place, and the tertau an object
characteristically located in or at that place.
- ckana boxfo
- bed sheet (Chi) mrostu mojysu'a tomb monument (Chi =
tombstone) jubme tergusni table lamp (Chi) foldi smacu field
mouse (Chi) briju ci'ajbu office desk (Chi) rirxe xirma river
horse (Chi = hippopotamus) xamsi gerku sea dog (Chi = seal)
cagyce'u zdani village house (Skt) mrostu = dead-site
mojysu'a = remember-structure ci'ajbu = write-table cagyce'u
= farm-community
Specifically: the tertau is a place where the seltau is sold or
made available to the public.
- cidja barja
- food bar (Chi = restaurant) cukta barja book bar (Chi =
library)
The seltau specifies the locus of application of the tertau.
- kanla velmikce
- eye medicine (Chi) jgalu grasu nail oil (Chi = nail
polish) denci pesxu tooth paste (Chi) velmikce = treatment
used by doctor
The tertau specifies an implement used in the activity denoted
by the seltau.
- me la pinpan. bolci
- Ping-Pong ball (Chi)
The tertau specifies a protective device against the
undesirable features of the referent of the seltau.
- carvi mapku
- rain cap (Chi) carvi taxfu rain garment (Chi = raincoat)
vindu firgai poison mask (Chi = gas mask) firgai =
face-cover
The tertau specifies a container characteristically used to
hold the referent of the seltau.
- cukta vasru
- book vessel (Chi = satchel) vanju kabri wine cup (Chi)
spatrkoka lanka coca basket (Que) djacu calkyzme water
calabash (Ewe) rismi dakli rice bag (Ewe,Chi) tcati kabri tea
cup (Chi) ladru botpi milk bottle (Chi) rismi patxu rice pot
(Chi) festi lante trash can (Chi) bifce zdani bee house (Kor
= beehive) cladakyxa'i zdani sword house (Kor = sheath) manti
zdani ant nest (Gua = anthill) spatrkoka = fu'ivla for
``coca'' calkyzme = shell-fruit, calabash cladakyxa'i =
(long-knife)-weapon
The seltau specifies the characteristic time of the event
specified by the tertau.
- vensa djedi
- spring day (Chi) crisa citsi summer season (Chi) cerni
bumru morning fog (Chi) critu lunra autumn moon (Chi) dunra
nicte winter night (Chi) nicte ckule night school (Chi)
The seltau specifies a source of energy for the referent of the
tertau.
- dikca tergusni
- electric lamp (Chi) ratni nejni atom energy (Chi) brife
molki windmill (Tur,Kor,Hun,Udm,Aba) tergusni =
illumination-source
Finally, some tanru which don't fall into any of the above
categories.
- ladru denci
- milk tooth (Tur,Hun,Udm,Qab) kanla denci eye tooth
It is clear that ``tooth'' is being specified, and that
``milk'' and ``eye'' act as modifiers. However, the
relationship between ``ladru'' and ``denci'' is something like
``tooth which one has when one is drinking milk from one's
mother'', a relationship certainly present nowhere except in
this particular concept. As for ``kanla denci'', the
relationship is not only not present on the surface, it is
hardly possible to formulate it at all.