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Language (To Be Understood Without Doubt).


pljames

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I believe in sentence structure. To understand the sentence without question. Agreed words take on different meanings like synonyms. I wish I could master or perfect the English language but no to that thought. My bottom line (is to be understood without doubt or question). I love the word understand. We give our language life and meaning for us personally. But when trying to convince others to our points that's where language gets into a gray area. Is it the writer or the reader that (assumes) more from the writer or the reader is interpreting the writers points to theirs? Therefore changing the original writers thoughts?

 

In today's society different writers use different ways to write. With spell checkers and grammar software how can one not be understood? pljames

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Take this example:

 

"I think this topic is very interesting".

 

I believe this passes all grammar and spell checkers. But it can be interpreted in different ways:

 

A ) I genuinely believe it is interesting

B ) I think it is not at all, but I am being diplomatic and nice

C ) I forgot a "not" between 'is' and 'very'

D ) ???

 

This should illustrate that grammar software and spell checkers do not make the understanding/interpretation of a sentence/unique.

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Guest MacPhee

Take this example:

 

"I think this topic is very interesting".

 

I believe this passes all grammar and spell checkers. But it can be interpreted in different ways:

 

A ) I genuinely believe it is interesting

B ) I think it is not at all, but I am being diplomatic and nice

C ) I forgot a "not" between 'is' and 'very'

D ) ???

 

This should illustrate that grammar software and spell checkers do not make the understanding/interpretation of a sentence/unique.

Sanctus, you make an excellent point. As you rightly suggest, print doesn't express the tones, and emphases, of spoken language.

 

Thus, the specimen sentence "I think this topic is very interesting", can when spoken aloud, convey many meanings, eg:

 

1. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "but perhaps you don't")

2. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "but perhaps I'm wrong")

3. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "but the other topic isn't")

4. I think this topic is very interesting. (skip on that one!)

5. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "although you say it isn't")

6. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "not just mildly interesting")

7. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "not boring")

 

These different interpretations aren't adequately conveyed by the blunt instrument of print. Punctuation helps, as do italics and underlining, and capitalisation, and some other devices.

 

But print cannot (yet) capture all the subtle vocal nuances of human speech.

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Sanctus, you make an excellent point. As you rightly suggest, print doesn't express the tones, and emphases, of spoken language.

 

What are tones emphases are spoken language? A tone to me is a musical note. Emphases means point or points and

there could be a point as to spoken language. But did someone forget Style and voice? pljames/Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...

MacPhee,

As you rightly suggest, print doesn't express the tones, and emphases, of spoken language.

 

What are tones and emphases in the written language?

 

Can I use a word that relate tone and emphasis? I understand the spoken language with emphasis and tone but with written would should emphasis tone by a related word or (!).Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanctus, you make an excellent point. As you rightly suggest, print doesn't express the tones, and emphases, of spoken language.

 

Thus, the specimen sentence "I think this topic is very interesting", can when spoken aloud, convey many meanings, eg:

 

1. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "but perhaps you don't")

2. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "but perhaps I'm wrong")

3. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "but the other topic isn't")

4. I think this topic is very interesting. (skip on that one!)

5. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "although you say it isn't")

6. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "not just mildly interesting")

7. I think this topic is very interesting. (implied - "not boring")

 

These different interpretations aren't adequately conveyed by the blunt instrument of print. Punctuation helps, as do italics and underlining, and capitalisation, and some other devices.

 

But print cannot (yet) capture all the subtle vocal nuances of human speech.

Edited by pljames
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  • 3 weeks later...

Concerning meanings or interpretations of ambiguous wording. Shouldn't the subject or title be a ambiguous word to explain the whole piece? Why interpret each word for a specific meaning and not just singularity of the one word? What is gained by searching for more than one meaning from just one ambiguous word? There is the flow of words like (ABC?123) be they horizontal or vertical. I love the style of writing the Wikipedia uses. Why write another paragraph instead of linking another paragraph within a word link to that paragraph? Is there a perfect defined e-mail or writing that could be understood perfectly? I have a reading and writing comprehension problem. I am confused by interpreting each word for a meaning.

 

Like most folks I to want to be understood. I never could read between the lines, so to speak. What is, what I call (critical reading), to define every word for the correct meaning of that word? I can see condensing words and paragraphs

with hyper texting. I write to inform and search for knowledge while getting knowledge back at the same time. I love to share. Why should I be so methodical when I am only trying to share my knowledge? Paul

Edited by pljames
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I hesitate to say this, but I have very little idea as to what your last post means. Here are three of the points that confuse me:

 

When you refer to "subject or title" are you talking generally, or referring to this thread?

 

Are you favouring the use of ambiguous words, or preferring words with a clear single definition?

 

Are you saying that confusion generated by the multiple meanings of ambiguous words is removed if the writing has a proper flow?

 

 

Regretably, having read the post several times I am none the wiser as to what you mean. I did understand you to say you had comprehension difficulties. It is my hope that in exploring my understanding (or rather lack of understanding) of your post may help you to improve the clarity of your writing.

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... Is there a perfect defined ...writing that could be understood perfectly?
Perhaps the tautology meets the criterion. It can be perfectly understood that 1.01 = 1.01, a cat is a cat. Then, once we understand tautology we understand its opposite, which is called contradiction. So, we understand that it is false to say a cat is not a cat, or that 2.03 = 1.01. So, the goal is to look for contradictions in writing (including this post) to help improve understanding, for a claim based on a false premise can be confusing and in moral cases dangerous.
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I hesitate to say this, but I have very little idea as to what your last post means. Here are three of the points that confuse me:

 

When you refer to "subject or title" are you talking generally, or referring to this thread?

(the subject).

 

Are you favouring the use of ambiguous words, or preferring words with a clear single definition?

(Clear definition).

 

Are you saying that confusion generated by the multiple meanings of ambiguous words is removed if the writing has a proper flow?

(yes).

 

 

Regretably, having read the post several times I am none the wiser as to what you mean. I did understand you to say you had comprehension difficulties. It is my hope that in exploring my understanding (or rather lack of understanding) of your post may help you to improve the clarity of your writing.

(Thank you for your patience. Paul

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  • 1 year later...

I hesitate to say this, but I have very little idea as to what your last post means. Here are three of the points that confuse me:

 

When you refer to "subject or title" are you talking generally, or referring to this thread?

 

Are you favouring the use of ambiguous words, or preferring words with a clear single definition?

 

Are you saying that confusion generated by the multiple meanings of ambiguous words is removed if the writing has a proper flow?

 

 

Regretably, having read the post several times I am none the wiser as to what you mean. I did understand you to say you had comprehension difficulties. It is my hope that in exploring my understanding (or rather lack of understanding) of your post may help you to improve the clarity of your writing.

 

The subject is the subject of the post or e-mail. Dosen't all posts have a subject even a thread? "preferring words with a clear single definition". Proper flow. Paul

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