Lojban Reference Grammar: Chapter 11

∑ Vocabulary ◆ Literature ◆ Englishing Writing ◆ Accents ◆ 漢語

Chapter 11: Events, Qualities, Quantities, And Other Vague Words: On Lojban Abstraction

9. Minor abstraction types

The following cmavo are discussed in this section:

   li'i    NU  experience abstractor
si'o    NU  concept abstractor
su'u    NU  general abstractor

There are three more abstractors in Lojban, all of them little used so far. The abstractor “li'i” expresses experience:

✥9.1  mi morji le li'i mi verba
I remember the experience-of (my being-a-child)

The abstractor “si'o” expresses a mental image, a concept, an idea:

✥9.2  mi nelci le si'o la lojban. cu mulno
I enjoy the concept-of Lojban being-complete.

Finally, the abstractor “su'u” is a vague abstractor, whose meaning must be grasped from context:

✥9.3  ko zgana le su'u
    le ci smacu cu bajra
you [imperative] observe the abstract-nature-of
    the three mice running
See how the three mice run!

All three of these abstractors have an x2 place. An experience requires an experiencer, so the place structure of “li'i” is:

: x1 is the experience of (the bridi) as experienced by x2

Similarly, an idea requires a mind to hold it, so the place structure of “si'o” is:

: x1 is the idea/concept of (the bridi) in the mind of x2

Finally, there needs to be some way of specifying just what sort of abstraction “su'u” is representing, so its place structure is:

: x1 is an abstract nature of (the bridi) of type x2

The x2 place of “su'u” allows it to serve as a substitute for any of the other abstractors, or as a template for creating new ones. For example,

✥9.4  le nu mi klama
the event-of my going

can be paraphrased as

✥9.5  le su'u mi klama kei be lo fasnu
the abstract-nature-of (my going) of-type an event

and there is a book whose title might be rendered in Lojban as:

✥9.6  le su'u la .iecuas. kuctra
    selcatra kei
    be lo sao'rdzifa'a
    ke nalmatma'e sutyterjvi
the abstract-nature-of (Jesus is-an-intersect-shape
    type-of-killed-one)
    of-type a slope-low-direction
    type-of non-motor-vehicle speed-competition
The Crucifixion of Jesus Considered As A
    Downhill Bicycle Race

Note the importance of using “kei” after “su'u” when the x2 of “su'u” (or any other abstractor) is being specified; otherwise, the “be lo” ends up inside the abstraction bridi.