Amos

Not really and perhaps you forget that I am the one who builts the maze.

Amos

Who was it again that wrote something like: "words, words, the whole worlds is tormented by words and nobody can live without words, but insofar as we are free from words do we really understand words."

Doctor X

Someone who did not know how to use a dictionary.

--J.D.

premjan

but who knows if it is true. perhaps you are suggesting that meanings are fewer than words?

Amos

He was a famous poet but I just forgot his name. I even got a book of poety by him but I can't find that right now either.

Anyway, that doesn't really matter but that is how I see it.

Amos

Not really. There are two worlds, one is a dictionary world and the other is what dictionaries try to teach us something about.

premjan

you are right. there are a million ways to name things and a million things, but there are far fewer meaningful mappings between the two. the answer to "why should I care" is highly constrained.

sorry if that didn't make any sense. glad if it did.

Amos

But I do care or I would not be here. If I was a troll I'd be dodging questions, which I do not. I readily admid that I am not a scholar, or a theologian, or a linguist but that I am perhaps hopelessly Romantic in a gypsy kind of way -- if that helps you any.

Amlodhi

And there is truth in the statement. The irony is that you are indicting yourself rather than others. It is you that uses "words" and nothing but "words" as the basis of your meanderings.

The true purpose of words is to convey coherent and (as much as is possible) accurate information. Thus, it is only by understanding the history, culture and political arena in which these words are spoken that we can actually "understand words". As your own quote advises you, mere word games lead nowhere.

Not afraid in the least. I recommended it to you in good faith. I think you will enjoy it and I also think it will surprise you. If that should prove not to be the case, I will buy your copy from you as mine has been read to virtual rags.

Namaste'

Amlodhi

Amos

Really! I used to just devour my books but not quite that bad.

Thanks again.