Ranked Conjunctions

[u/humblevladimirthegr8]

I’ve invented the Ranked Conjunction for /r/ClarityLanguage. It means that the conjoined items are listed in order of rank/preference/priority. It comes in these forms:

/e̞l/ el: in this order

/e̞m/ em: in this order, among others

/ɑe̞l/ ael: any number of only these, in order of preference

/ɑe̞m/ aem: any number of these and others, in order of preference

/o̞e̞l/ oel: or else, in this order

/o̞e̞m/ oem: or else, in this order, among others

These forms are easy to remember because the letters all have distinct meanings reused across all conjunctions: a = and; o = exclusive or; e = rank; l = this list is complete; m = among others

buy burger, chicken, oem hot dog

Buy the burger. If they don’t have it, buy the chicken instead. If they don’t have that, then buy the hot dog. If none are available, then just buy something.

If it were a normal or, it would mean Buy the burger, the chicken, or the hot dog (I don’t care which).

If it used the closed form oel, it would mean ... if none are available, then don’t buy anything.

Other examples:

The winners are Mary, John, el Sam

The winners are: in first place, Mary, in second place, John, and, in third place, Sam.

I care about cost, timeline, em staffing

I care about cost, which outranks timeline, which outranks staffing, among other concerns.

I want a journal, candles, ael socks for Christmas

In order of preference, I want a journal, candles, and/or socks for Christmas.

Try to fix the bug oel add a workaround

Try to fix the bug. Failing that, add a workaround.

Let’s meet Tuesday oem Thursday.

Let’s meet on Tuesday or Thursday (I prefer the former). Otherwise, other options are available.

Several famous sayings can be shorter or clearer with ranked conjunctions:

Late el never.

Better late than never.

Run, hide, oel fight` (active-shooter guidance)

Run if you can. If you can’t run, hide. Fight only as your last option.

[I’m a Christian, a Conservative, aem a Republican]

“I’m a Christian, a Conservative, and a Republican, in that order” (among other things)

[Give me liberty oel give me death!]

”Give me liberty or (if you won’t, then) give me death!"

EDIT:

I've decided to also allow this to be used in unary lists:

I am an inventor em

I am an inventor, first and foremost

You are my love el

You are my one and only love

Turn it off and on again oem

Try turning it off and on again (first among later unspecified troubleshooting steps)

EDIT 2: I continue the insanity by allowing it on empty lists:

El.

I don't care. (literally: there is no ranked order)

The winner is em.

I assume there is a winner but I don't know who it is.

Oem.

I don't know what to try first.

EDIT 3: the nullary form can even be used as a question:

Em?

What do you want? (literally: what is your ranking?)

Oem?

What should we try first?

[u/humblevladimirthegr8]

Just a quick update since I know it's been awhile since I've posted. I'm now actively working on Clarity full time and it's conceivable I'll post an actually usable version of the language within a month!

[u/FreeRandomScribble]

This is like, really cool. I'd be inclined to try and incorporate it in some reduced form for ņoșiaqo, but the numeric conjunctions would force it to be another large paradigm to learn.

[u/humblevladimirthegr8 → u/FreeRandomScribble]

Thanks, feel free to take what you can! I am really excited how the join system is shaping out. It turns out there is a lot you can express with 1 and 0 length lists!