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[2nd conversion] 2nd conversion; switch 1st/2nd places
Source: embed:http://www.lojban.org/publications/draft-textbook/lesson07
Conversion
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In exercise 2-1, Part 4, where we had you devising keyword equivalents
for the non-x1 places of each brivla, we had in mind the specific
purpose of preparing you for Lojban 'conversion'. Not conversion to
Lojban (we hope that you are already prepared for that), but
conversion within Lojban. The term 'conversion' in this case derives
from 'converse', a term which denotes that two things are being
interchanged to form a kind of 'opposite'. In the case of Lojban
conversion, the two things being interchanged are places in the place
structure of a bridi.
Specifically, in any bridi, conversion will result in the interchange
of one of the other sumti places with the x1 place. Conversion is
indicated by the cmavo of selma'o SE, namely "se", "te", "ve", and
"xe". These respectively refer to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th conversion,
and conveniently are built from consecutive Lojban consonants to make
them easy to remember. You will use them a lot.
2nd conversion with "se" is the interchange of the x1 and x2 sumti
places. 3rd conversion with "te" is, of course, the interchange of
the x1 and x3 places. 4th conversion with "ve" interchanges the x1
and x4 places, and 5th conversion with "xe" interchanges the x1 and x5
places. The SE cmavo is placed immediately before a brivla. It
causes any places of that brivla to be appropriately interchanged.
The resulting place structure is renumbered, so you have a new x1
sumti after conversion.
Why do you convert brivla? To allow you to put a different sumti in
the x1 position and thus to say it first. This emphasizes that sumti
over the other ones and specifically over the old x1 sumti that would
otherwise have gone first; since you have presumably converted the
brivla for a reason, the juxtaposition provides extra emphasis on the
new x1 sumti.
Let us take our well-worn example based on klama:
mi cu klama la bastn. la .atlentas. ti la ford.
by
bluMyst