guns don't kill people; People do

From Lojban
Jump to navigation Jump to search

A rather silly idea in English. It plays off of an ambiguity in kill, which can be either catra or te catra. So, is it possible to express the sentiment with lojban lacking this fact? We can't say le -gun na catra because the x1 of catra is agentive. We also can't say le -gun na te catra because they can and do te catra, and even the NRA will grant you that much. Any ideas?

lo'e cecla cu catra nagi'e ba'e te catra


The slogan brings out a point that many English speaking voters do get confused about: guns are inert, non-agentive tools, only as good or evil as the use to which they are put.

Thus, the point really is made using genai le cecla gi le prenu ka'e catra. Lojban syntax is used to illuminate the idea. --xod

catra naje ba'e te catra

ku'i la'e di'u na cusku le sumti poi catra