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Nick:
> OK, weathervane again. To me, the generic prototype sounds a *lot*
> like {loi}; but additive properties are an unsurmountable problem,
> and xod is right, we shouldn't be shoehorning. So I'll allow they're
> like {loi}, but not quite {loi}. But any final solution needs to make
> sure the differences between the generic and the mass are clearcut.
> Because the "if true of one, it is true of the singularisation"
> aspect seems to me critical to making sense of this singularisation
All such rules of thumb needed to be tested against things you
do naturally see as singulars, such as Nick S Nicholas. Is
everything true of some version of nitcion true of Nick? I
happen to think not, but I think this is something that speakers
of Lojban should decide for themselves, collectively and individually.
At any rate, the key rule of thumb is that the relationship between
Mr Bird and birds is entirely analogous to the relationship between
Nick and versions of Nick. So long as your analysis of generic
prototypes respects that analogy, it is likely to be sound.
--And.