[OT] Why would IT be a pain?

Marian Petrides mpetrides at earthlink.net
Thu Jun 22 14:30:27 EDT 2006


that that is is that that is not is not is that not it it is

Translated:  That that is, is. That that is not, is not. Is that not  
it? It is.

Ok, I just couldn't resist this old one from grade school,  
demonstrating the power of punctuation.  Richmond's little ditty  
brought it immediately to mind. Sorry.

M
On Jun 22, 2006, at 1:22 PM, Richmond Mathewson wrote:

> Well:
>
>
> This is It
> and I am It
> and You are It
> and so is That
> and He is It
> and She is It
> and It is It
> and That is That.
>
> ain' it!
>
> As an EFL teacher I am aware that IT in terms
> of English grammar (try explaining how "It is raining"
> to Bulgarians!!!) is a slithery customer.
>
> Now most linguists describe it as a 'token' - meaning
> that IT is used to represent something else.
>
> And, in English grammar IT is really very flexible indeed
> and can be used as a token for almost anything (can't it?).
>
> So, as xTalk is meant to be English-like, IT would seem
> reasonable to assume that IT behaved similarly in xTalk
> to the way IT behaved in English (wouldn't it?).
>
> as I mentioned earlier; I am prone to over-generalisations
>
> and, this is why I raised IT in the first place.
>
> sincerely, Richmond Mathewson
>
> P.S. I have an MSc from the University of Abertay, Dundee
> in "Computers and IT" - so I should know :-)
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________
>
> "Philosophical problems are confusions arising owing to the  
> fluidity of meanings users attach to words and phrases."
>                                        Mathewson, 2006
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