Linguistics and SF

I meant to mention this one; you might find it interesting.  I'm CC'in the
lojban-list solely becuase Lojban's structure is remeniscent of the one I'm
going to talk about.

In a story by Larry Niven ("Grammar Lesson," which can be found in
"Convergent Series," if memory serves), there is a very SW-ish discussion
with a member of an alien race, the chirpsithra.  It seems that in their
language (Lottl, I think), there are three forms of possessive:  Intrinsic,
Relation, and Property.  Intrinsic is used for body-parts and such, <my>
arm, <my> foot, etc.  Relation is used for familial relationships, {my}
mother, {my} sister.  Property is used for propert, [my] house, [my] credit
cards.  (How they'd handle "my friend" is not explained.)

Anyway, they have a story from their history which they tell to all little
chirpsithra in grammar school.  It seems that once, as the chirps were
expanding their realm across the galaxy, they came into conflict with
another race, contending over some planets which both wanted.  By observing
the behavior of prisoners, the chirps were able to deduce the nature of the
home planet of the others, and thus what they looked for in a planet.  With
this knowledge, they just withdrew from the planet they knew the others
wanted and avoided conflict.  This is given as an important lesson in the
importance of their possessives, since the chirps had no trouble ceding the
planets, but many a Terran man would fight and die defending "<his> home"
(note intrinsic).

Obviously an SW reference (though of course I had never heard of SW until
long after I read the story).  Thought you all might be interested.

~mark