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johnslat · Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 8:53 pm Post subject:

Ah, I see 007 belongs to the Humpty Dumpty school of linguistics:

"`I don't know what you mean by "glory",' Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. `Of course you don't -- till I tell you. I meant "there's a nice knock-down argument for you!"'

`But "glory" doesn't mean "a nice knock-down argument",' Alice objected.

`When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

`The question is,' said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many different things.'

`The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master -- that's all.'

Alice was too much puzzled to say anything; so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. `They've a temper, some of them -- particularly verbs: they're the proudest -- adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs -- however, I can manage the whole lot of them! Impenetrability! That's what I say!'

`Would you tell me please,' said Alice, `what that means?'

`Now you talk like a reasonable child,' said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. `I meant by "impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don't mean to stop here all the rest of your life.'

`That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

`When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said Humpty Dumpty, `I always pay it extra.'

`Oh!' said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark.

`Ah, you should see 'em come round me of a Saturday night,' Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side to side, `for to get their wages, you know.'

(Alice didn't venture to ask what he paid them with; and so you see I can't tell you.)

`You seem very clever at explaining words, Sir,' said Alice. `Would you kindly tell me the meaning of the poem called "Jabberwocky"?'"

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

SD BOY · Joined: 29 Mar 2009 Posts: 60

007,

Is "asinineness" potentially one of those words which will help us to interpret the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?

007 · Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 11:17 pm Post subject:

eclectic · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 1122

what on the surface of neptune is going on here?

trapezius · Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 1:55 pm Post subject:

What on uranus is going on here? Laughing

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 3:14 pm Post subject:

Actually, that should be the rings around uranus... Laughing

NCTBA