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Old 11-04-2006, 01:15 PM   #115 (permalink)
KnifeMissile
 
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Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Wow, this thread has been exceptionally busy, today. I have many things to say but, unfortunately, I'm quite pressed for time so I will address a pressing matter now and will come back later to respond to individual remarks...


What I'm about to demonstrate has been said before but, unfortunately, it bears repeating so I will repeat myself, here...

"What these teachers propose is educational nonsense."
"You mean education is nonsense? I don't get it!"

How did the second speaker go wrong, here? He didn't understand that "educational" is an adjective and "nonsense" is a noun. This is a statement on nonesense (a particular instance of nonsense referred to in the sentence) and says nothing about education. Compare this exchange with this less contrived one...

"...and is moving onto the topic of philosophical bullshit"
"hmm...philosophy is "bullshit" but religion is serious."

Where did the second speaker go wrong? Not to single him out since he certainly was not the only person to do so but this situation is perfectly analogous to the previous one. "Philosophical" is an adjective while "bullshit" is a noun. This is a statement on bullshit and says nothing about philosophy. Furthermore, there is absolutely no interpretation in the English language that can mean anything else, much less that it is a statement on philosophy.

What the hell?!


Now, I have many more enthusiastic (and, perhaps, positive!) things to say but they will have to wait. Until then, please think this matter through because misunderstandings based on a lack of proficiency in English distress me so. I'm not entirely sure why. If English is not your first language, I am sympathetic and can understand some confusion but I sense that, for the vast majority of you, this is your first (and only) language...
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