What I am sure about is that the meaning of words can change with their usage and that different people with different aims in mind have a different interpretation of the meaning of words to begin with and in the process of communication a meaning is negotiated and settle upon or not. I am not expressing that the meaning of anything can be so rigidly pinned down, but is fluid and changes with usage. Of course, if I were to find myself in the dock at the Old Bailey, I hope my barrister could split the finest of hairs.
Do I take it from your words that you believe people should conform and not express their view in a public forum, except with the permission of people like yourself? I would have thought that knowledge and language are one of the same things. Are you expecting me to believe that the real meaning of what I say lies behind my word and resides in a part of my brain, because surely as soon as I express what I know with language then that knowledge becomes a publicly shared concept: unless the possessed knowledge is shared, how can its existence be proved?
Look at your example:
I do so love people who try to impress others.
Do you really love me, even though you havent met me? Or is there a cynicism behind your words, a more negative meaning? Is the real meaning of what you write the opposite of the words you choose to use? Why didnt you write something like: I dont like people who try to impress.
- Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Choatle -- 2008-01-09
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Mic -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Hubub -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Jimmy -- 2008-01-10
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Choatle -- 2008-01-10
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Pumpkin -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- english teacher two -- 2008-01-14
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Big D -- 2008-01-24
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Choatle -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- callmefred -- 2008-01-15
- Hello Pumpkin -- eng.teacher -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- callmefred -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- eng.teacher -- 2008-01-14
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- callmefred -- 2008-01-15
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- eng.teacher -- 2008-01-15
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- Barry -- 2008-01-14
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- JNET -- 2008-01-14
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- callmefred -- 2008-01-15
- Re: learned / educated -- english teacher two -- 2008-01-15
- Re: learned / educated -- Choatle -- 2008-01-16
- Re: learned / educated - a reply -- english teacher two -- 2008-01-16
- Re: learned / educated -- Choatle -- 2008-01-16
- Re: learned / educated -- english teacher two -- 2008-01-15
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- callmefred -- 2008-01-15
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- callmefred -- 2008-01-15
- Re: Hello Pumpkin -- eng.teacher -- 2008-01-14
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- english teacher two -- 2008-01-14
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Pumpkin -- 2008-01-13
- Re: Mandy and Lynn Strike someone else? -- Mic -- 2008-01-13