Klarinet Archive - Posting 000099.txt from 2000/02

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Jelly Doughnuts
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 21:24:35 -0500

On Wed, 02 Feb 2000 09:10:30 -0600, vfreyer@-----.net said:

> Look at it this way... the following two sentences derive completely
> different meanings from adding "a":
>
> I am Danish. (This describes my cultural heritage.)
>
> I am a Danish. (Short for Danish pastry, much like a jelly doughnut,
> describing my eating preferences.)

Yes. My point is that the second sentence, uttered by you, does not
mean -- could not *possibly* mean -- that you are a pastry.

It might have the metameaning that you are a Dane who doesn't speak
English very well -- but its only possible meaning in itself is that you
are a Dane.

If uttered frequently enough, and widely enough, this second sentence
could in fact ultimately alter the 'dictionary definition' of the word
"Danish", by giving the word "Danish" another substantive meaning.

Such considerations are not irrelevant to music. My article about
phrasing suggests that a similar process occurred roughly around 1800
with the notation that we call a 'slur'.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE GMN family artist: www.gmn.com
tel/fax 01865 553339

....Verbing weirds language.

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