Re: [jboske] RE: kau: instantiation

[John Cowan <cowan@ccil.org>]

And Rosta scripsit:

> And he may be right for English. That is, it is possible that English 
> sentences do not encode the generic/nongeneric distinction, and that
> that distinction is inferred pragmatically. (a big shudder from John
> here)

Remember, it's semantic meaning I have problems with, not pragmatic
meaning (which I call simply "meaning"). IOW, the notion that "Would you
open the door?" is in *any* sense equivalent in meaning to "Is your opening
of the door a possible future event?" strikes me as an overheated fantasy.
(I may have this example wrong.)

> I enjoyed your message, and I enjoy you being here very much.

+1

-- 
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It's all semi-structured, no less. http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
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