2.12. The sumti di'u and la'e di'u

In English, I might say The dog is beautiful , and you might reply This pleases me. How do you know what this refers to? Lojban uses different expressions to convey the possible meanings of the English:

Example 2.50. 

le gerku

[ku]

cu

melbi

The dog is beautiful.


The following three sentences all might translate as This pleases me.

Example 2.51. 

ti

[cu]

pluka

mi

This (the dog) pleases me.


Example 2.52. 

di'u

[cu]

pluka

mi

This (the last sentence) pleases me (perhaps because it is grammatical or sounds nice).


Example 2.53. 

la'e di'u

[cu]

pluka

mi

This (the meaning of the last sentence; i.e. that the dog is beautiful) pleases me.


Example 2.53 uses one sumti to point to or refer to another by inference. It is common to write la'edi'u as a single word; it is used more often than di'u by itself.