Comments on: Blindspots And The Appliance Of Language http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/ Scattered values and the chance of philosophy. May contain funny. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:27:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: sooz http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24934 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:18:35 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24934 We call ours a 'Wish-Dosher' and we live in hope that one day it will 'dosh wishes'... *sigh* We call ours a ‘Wish-Dosher’ and we live in hope that one day it will ‘dosh wishes’… *sigh*

]]> by: Sam http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24797 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:38:40 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24797 I read the first two lines of that wee poem and thought the end was going to be "how many were orgying in St. Ives?" Now THAT'S a riddle... I read the first two lines of that wee poem and thought the end was going to be “how many were orgying in St. Ives?”

Now THAT’S a riddle…

]]> by: Kathryn http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24776 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:33:23 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24776 Ah haha! Whilst living in London I always got "the washing up" (aka in American: doing the dishes) mixed up with washing clothes. Even though there's no mention of a 'machine' at all, I still automatically thought "We just had dinner, why are they talking about doing laundry?" Then when I was properly assimilated, I went back to the States and confused the crap outta everyone. Ah haha! Whilst living in London I always got “the washing up” (aka in American: doing the dishes) mixed up with washing clothes. Even though there’s no mention of a ‘machine’ at all, I still automatically thought “We just had dinner, why are they talking about doing laundry?” Then when I was properly assimilated, I went back to the States and confused the crap outta everyone.

]]> by: Pete http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24749 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:21:33 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24749 I think that an additional layer of abstraction would work well here. If you've got an armful of clothes or dishes, you can just say "Has the (waggle your payload) washer been on?" and let context do the rest. Or get rid of the dishwasher. I think that an additional layer of abstraction would work well here. If you’ve got an armful of clothes or dishes, you can just say “Has the (waggle your payload) washer been on?” and let context do the rest.

Or get rid of the dishwasher.

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24738 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:43:17 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/06/13/blindspots-and-the-appliance-of-language/#comment-24738 Use 'machine' instead, for both. If you are standing indoors in view of your wife while carrying a load of laundry, she will implicitly pick up that you are talking about the washing. If, on the other hand, you are headed for the kitchen , or in the kitchen, and perhaps have a dirty dish in your hand, then she will intuitively know that you are referring to the dish washing machine. Ah, yes, the appliance of language. Use ‘machine’ instead, for both. If you are standing indoors in view of your wife while carrying a load of laundry, she will implicitly pick up that you are talking about the washing. If, on the other hand, you are headed for the kitchen , or in the kitchen, and perhaps have a dirty dish in your hand, then she will intuitively know that you are referring to the dish washing machine.

Ah, yes, the appliance of language.

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