Comments on Several Such Buildings: Applied Conversational Rhetoric

I love this post more then necessary.

2009-12-11T13:32:01.371-07:00

I love this post more then necessary.

Isaac Brock gave all of US the song. I think that'...

2009-05-13T11:58:00.000-06:00

Isaac Brock gave all of US the song. I think that's the best conclusion.

i so totally gave you that modest mouse quote. ;) ...

2009-05-12T18:15:00.000-06:00

i so totally gave you that modest mouse quote. ;)

(but ultimately henpenney gets the credit for giving me the song.)

Language hasn't failed me, I've failed it. But I...

2009-05-12T09:22:00.000-06:00

Language hasn't failed me, I've failed it.

But I think this furthers my point...

The thing about language is that you can't know you've failed it until after the damage is done. This is because we assume we have spoken clearly because the words create an image in our mind of what we were trying to say, but then we are surprised when people don't always take it like we had planned.

I see this all the time in freshman writing. Students' theses claim to argue one thing but their evidence often supports the opposite claim.

Sra: your point is well taken, and I actually agre...

2009-05-12T09:15:00.000-06:00

Sra: your point is well taken, and I actually agree with your definition of "gift." In this circumstance, however, I never asked for the laptop back, rather I asked her what she was going to do with it thinking that she was going to throw it out. Further, the weight of my concern doesn't so much rest on the definition of the word "gift" as on being called a racist. And whether or not I am racist isn't the point either. The point, as I see it, was perhaps best expressed by Modest Mouse in their song "Blame it on the Tetons":

Language is the liquid that we're all dissolved in.
Great for solving problems, after it creates a problem.

I read The Republic once. It was interesting, from...

2009-05-12T08:49:00.000-06:00

I read The Republic once. It was interesting, from what I recall.

So, I suppose the problem I have with this is that your concept of what a gift is is so far off from what most people understand a gift to be that I wouldn't classify this as a frailty of language, but a frailty of your understanding.

Anything given with some kind of expectation for a return favor is not a gift, it is a favor or a loan. Once you gift something to someone, it is theirs to do with as they please. They are under no obligation to return it to you once they no longer want it.

And in this case you weren't even asking for the same thing that you gifted, because she put $400 into repairing the monitor. Whereas you gave her a broken laptop as a gift - and of your own free will - she was now going to sell a completely functional laptop. But even if it were still broken, I think it is presumptuous to expect it back once you have given it away.

You could have sold it to her initially instead of gifting it, or you could have offered to buy it back once you found out she wanted to sell it, but you really had no stake in claiming it for yourself at this point.

Indian giver. Racist. And right about langauge. Wh...

2009-05-11T01:37:00.000-06:00

Indian giver. Racist. And right about langauge. What a package!

not only an indian giver, but a racist as well ...

2009-05-10T21:32:00.000-06:00

not only an indian giver,

but a racist as well

happy mothers day

Hmm, are you a fan of Plato, Sra?

2009-05-09T20:45:00.000-06:00

Hmm, are you a fan of Plato, Sra?

I actually think that language can perfectly conve...

2009-05-09T18:38:00.000-06:00

I actually think that language can perfectly convey meaning, but we users of language often have inadequacy with the craft.

Also, dude, you were totally an Indian giver.

Oh, I don't know if I'd call it that... :)

2009-05-09T15:44:00.000-06:00

Oh, I don't know if I'd call it that... :)

I also fell in love with lit theory because of pos...

2009-05-09T14:46:00.000-06:00

I also fell in love with lit theory because of poststructuralism.