reduction of the number of selma'o
The words of Lojban are classified, according to their grammar, in 124 selma'o (counting BRIVLA and CMENE). This number of grammar classes is excesive, and can be easily reduced without any noticeable effect in the expressiveness of the language (and in many cases with some increase in it). These 55 selma'o could be eliminated or merged with other selma'o, thereby reducing the complexity of the syntax, and thus making it easier to learn. (Arguments for each of these actions have been presented in different places, and I may in the future try to collect them here or provide links. For the moment I am only recording the list. Discussion about the general idea of selma'o number reduction or about particular cases is welcome in the discussion forum of this page. mi'e xorxes )
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selma'o | recommended action | backwards compatibility
tags
CAhA | merge with BAI | yes
CUhE | merge with BAI | yes
FAhA | merge with BAI | yes
KI | merge with BAI | yes
PU | merge with BAI | yes
TAhE | merge with BAI | yes
VA | merge with BAI | yes
VEhA | merge with BAI | yes
VIhA | eliminate/merge with BAI | no/yes
ZAhO | merge with BAI | yes
ZEhA | merge with BAI | yes
ZI | merge with BAI | yes
MOhI | eliminate/merge with FEhE | no/yes
indicators
CAI | merge with UI | yes
DAhO | merge with UI | yes
FUhE | merge with UI | yes
FUhO | merge with UI | yes
GAhO | merge with UI | almost
NAI | merge with UI | yes
RAhO | merge with UI | yes
SOI | eliminate | no
connectives
A | merge with JOI | yes (allowing NA JOI)
BIhI | merge with JOI | almost
JA | merge with JOI | yes (allowing NA JOI)
GUhA | eliminate | no
predicates
BRIVLA | merge with GOhA | yes
CMENE | merge with GOhA | almost
LA | merge with LE | almost
lerfu
FOI | eliminate/merge with BY | no/yes
LAU | eliminate/merge with BY | no/yes
TEI | eliminate/merge with BY | no/yes
termsets
CEhE | eliminate | no
NUhI | eliminate | no
NUhU | eliminate | no
PEhE | eliminate | no
MEX
BIhE | eliminate | no
FUhA | eliminate | no
JOhI | eliminate | no
KUhE | eliminate | no
MAhO | eliminate | no
MOhE | eliminate | no
NAhU | eliminate | no
NIhE | eliminate | no
NUhA | eliminate | no
PEhO | eliminate | no
TEhU | eliminate | no
VEI | eliminate | no
VEhO | eliminate | no
VUhU | eliminate/merge with JOI | no
terminators
LOhO | eliminate/merge with BOI | no/yes
MEhU | merge with MOI | almost
odds and ends
COI | merge with DOI | yes
NIhO | merge with I | yes
CEI | eliminate | no
SA | eliminate | no
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The surviving selma'o are:
BAI BAhE BE BEI BEhO BO BOI BU BY CO CU DOI DOhU FA FAhO FEhE FEhU FIhO GA GEhU GI GIhA GOI
GOhA I JAI JOI KE KEhE KEI KOhA KU KUhO LAhE LE LEhU LI LIhU LOhU LU LUhU MAI ME MOI NA NAhE
NOI NU PA ROI SE SEI SEhU SI SU TO TOI TUhE TUhU UI VAU VUhO XI Y ZEI ZIhE ZO ZOI ZOhU