Date: Thu, 13 Nov 1997 22:58:36 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <199711140358.WAA02868@locke.ccil.org> Reply-To: Ashley Yakeley Sender: Lojban list From: Ashley Yakeley Subject: Re: Ironic Use of Attitudinals X-To: Lojban List To: John Cowan Status: OR X-Mozilla-Status: 0011 Content-Length: 570 X-From-Space-Date: Thu Nov 13 22:58:47 1997 X-From-Space-Address: LOJBAN@CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU At 1997-11-13 09:25, Rick Nylander wrote: >I have a (naove?) question: >Why is it so important that attitudinals be useable in a >sarcastic/ironic manner? The option of being able to use a language ironically makes communication that little bit richer. >Is there some deficiency in the language that requires this? No, this is not a language-level concern: irony takes place _after_ language has done its job of converting text to meaning. It's not _that_ important, of course, but it's interesting. -- Ashley Yakeley, Seattle WA http://www.halcyon.com/ashleyb/