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pc tackles an aphorism
- To: John Cowan <cowan@SNARK.THYRSUS.COM>, Eric Raymond <eric@SNARK.THYRSUS.COM>, Eric Tiedemann <est@SNARK.THYRSUS.COM>
- Subject: pc tackles an aphorism
- From: Chris Dollin <cbmvax!uunet!HPLB.HPL.HP.COM!pucc.PRINCETON.EDU!kers>
- Reply-To: Chris Dollin <cbmvax!uunet!HPLB.HPL.HP.COM!pucc.PRINCETON.EDU!kers>
- Sender: Lojban list <cbmvax!uunet!CUVMA.BITNET!pucc.PRINCETON.EDU!LOJBAN>
"Not to decide is to decide". I wondered about a translation of this, and it
seems that all the attempts so far (I say ``attempt'' not because they are
failures, but becuarse they are different from what I am going to say ...)
have tried to follow the form of the original rather closely.
It may not have all the connotations of the original, but how about treating
it as ``There are no events-of-not-deciding''? Guessing from the examples
provided, I think this translates as
na da nu na jdice
no-x is an event of not-deciding
- I haven't studied the Lojban grammar yet, although I remember some of the
loglan; forgive me for any gross errors.
The context in which the proverb might be used (when a decision is being
avoided for whatever reason) seems to make both the original form, and my
revised one, equally appropriate, although not equivalent (in any logical
sense).
Regards, | ``"I can't suit myself," said Weinbaum, a little petulantly.
Kers. | "I work for the Government".'' - Blish, "The Quincunx of Time".