"The Dictionary"

[eye2i2hear]

Quote:The dictionary is like a map of the world, which shows where a country is with relation to all other countries. The definition of the dictionary is simply objective, not closely analytical. Its language is popular, as in the speaking of black and white as colors. All this is well enough. People need information which will be true to appearances, for practical purposes, and need so wide an extent of this in a moderate compass, that they are glad to get brief explanations or even hints at meanings, prepared by men skilled in classifying linguistic growths. Hence, however, they sometimes find the popular definitions as good but not better than to define cheese as condensed milk. The so-called synonyms have different shades of meaning, but disputants easily yield to the temptation to assume an identical import in two terms, sometimes for the purpose of blackening one by throwing upon it an evil connotation which adheres to the other; and conversely the hearer is usually able to understand immediately whether the speaker, if sincere, is friendly or hostile toward an object, merely by noting the terms chosen in alluding to its existence. We rarely find many sentences together without a moral judgment being conveyed. Such judgments, from an Egoistic point of view, could be illustrated by representing a beggar extolling charity.

The Philosophy of Egoism, by James L Walker

[eye2i2hear]

[NonEntity]

(02-26-2012 09:00 AM)eye2i2hear Wrote:  

Thanks. Good post. I'd missed it the first time around.

- NonE

[eye2i2hear]

There's also this one:

Quote:Often when people are trying to trick you with clever questions it's because they know you will make a assumption about one aspect or other, they then pick another to catch you out. It all relies on the vagueness of one or more of the words, which is what you need to challenge. Language is extremely context sensitive. Dictionaries are just attempts to describe and standardize common language usage [aka historical records]. Just ask them to define their terms for you.

--unknown [ ]ed words mine --eye2i

[caveat: of course asking can prompt yet another such word to come at you forth: divisive! (oh, and nit-picking)]

[eye2i2hear]

[Notsure7]

I didn't say she stole the watch.

I didn't SAY she stole the watch.

I didn't say SHE stole the watch.

I didn't say she STOLE the watch.

I didn't say she stole the WATCH.

Inflection also adds to context so meaning.

As for Dictionaries. It appears to me that it is a book with words about words about words about words ad infinitum.

What matters is what the speaker is meaning.


Hmm, I tried to add the picture of Humpty Dumpty from Alice in Wonderland which Eye used in another post but could not do it.

So That.

[eye2i2hear]

(03-23-2013 09:35 AM)Notsure7 Wrote:  Hmm, I tried to add the picture of Humpty Dumpty from Alice in Wonderland which Eye used in another post but could not do it.

Yeah, this aligns with some other's current experience, i.e. sumpin's presently wacky/broke withe forums software regarding a.) viewing attachments, b.) uploading images~ (you should still be able to Insert images --tho you may wish to consider comparing your meaning of Insert via a dictionary=reference point... or knot? j/k...?)

e.g.:

---

(03-23-2013 09:35 AM)Notsure7 Wrote:  I didn't say she stole the watch.

I didn't SAY she stole the watch.

I didn't say SHE stole the watch.

I didn't say she STOLE the watch.

I didn't say she stole the WATCH.

then, there's: i didn't say she stole the watch. (there's that ALL CAPS thing, ya knows?!)

(she did, tho, 'cause she's trying to suck up to the Chief for an advancement via gettin' brownie points for guarding the camp... but not on my watch, lass, not on my NonWatch!)



(and people see "bullshit" with such... she'll just have to watch and see...)

--NonConan2i