Comments on: The Negative Assumption http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/ Scattered values and the chance of philosophy. May contain funny. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:08:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: wendy http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39361 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:01:09 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39361 I just witnessed one. I was in the staff room at work, when someone came in to leave a note in someone else's pigeon hole (stop it). She couldn't find said hole (I said STOP), so asked for help from the woman I was with. Here was the reply. "Hilda's pigeon hole isn't on the right." It was on the right and everyone seemed happy with that. Ed, can you pass the aspirin when you're finished with it? I just witnessed one.

I was in the staff room at work, when someone came in to leave a note in someone else’s pigeon hole (stop it). She couldn’t find said hole (I said STOP), so asked for help from the woman I was with. Here was the reply.

“Hilda’s pigeon hole isn’t on the right.”

It was on the right and everyone seemed happy with that. Ed, can you pass the aspirin when you’re finished with it?

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39164 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:01:04 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39164 ASpirin! I need ASPIRIN! ASpirin! I need ASPIRIN!

]]> by: Cliff http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39080 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:59:46 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39080 Jim - I think we might be brothers. Jim - I think we might be brothers.

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39055 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:45:35 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39055 Had I been clever, that would have been : 'You don't really think so?' Had I been clever, that would have been :

‘You don’t really think so?’

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39050 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:22:33 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39050 You really think so? You really think so?

]]> by: CapricornCringe http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39045 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:45:20 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39045 Am I not commenting? Have I not commented? Don't you deserve a comment? Am I not commenting? Have I not commented? Don’t you deserve a comment?

]]> by: Dawn http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39039 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:00:05 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39039 I think so. I think so.

]]> by: Jim http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39018 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 23:56:00 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39018 There's a curious Irish inflection that poses questions in the negative thusly: 'will you not be having a cup of tea'? My father used to take great pleasure in literally translating from the Gaelic and would often offer refreshment with the perplexing 'is it tea that'll be wanting at you?' That could be complete bollocks for all I know and I think in many way that was the point. This is the man who used to field phone calls from friends, who were in the habit of asking 'is James there?' 'Yes', my father would reply, whereupon he would remain immobile with the receiver implacably clamped to the side of his face. Few people can endure an awkward silence with a stubborn Irishman for long and I suspect most of them hung up after a few seconds. In the immortal words of Graham 'Turnip' Taylor: "Do I not like that." There’s a curious Irish inflection that poses questions in the negative thusly: ‘will you not be having a cup of tea’?

My father used to take great pleasure in literally translating from the Gaelic and would often offer refreshment with the perplexing ‘is it tea that’ll be wanting at you?’ That could be complete bollocks for all I know and I think in many way that was the point.

This is the man who used to field phone calls from friends, who were in the habit of asking ‘is James there?’ ‘Yes’, my father would reply, whereupon he would remain immobile with the receiver implacably clamped to the side of his face. Few people can endure an awkward silence with a stubborn Irishman for long and I suspect most of them hung up after a few seconds.

In the immortal words of Graham ‘Turnip’ Taylor: “Do I not like that.”

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39014 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 23:09:05 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39014 I don't THINK so. I don’t THINK so.

]]> by: Cliff http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39003 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:54:54 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-39003 Gargoyle - Actually, Prime Minister, you are. Ted - Isn't that funny. Emom - No. Or <em>yes</em>... Guy - No you actually can claim that you're in good company. Peach - I gave up a long time ago Katy - facebook scrabble. Just discovered it. Damn you. Gargoyle - Actually, Prime Minister, you are.

Ted - Isn’t that funny.

Emom - No. Or yes…

Guy - No you actually can claim that you’re in good company.

Peach - I gave up a long time ago

Katy - facebook scrabble. Just discovered it. Damn you.

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38989 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:38:00 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38989 Then my head AND my ass will hurt. Then my head AND my ass will hurt.

]]> by: Katy Newton http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38983 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:41:56 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38983 Wait til I've kicked your ass at Scrabble, Ed. Wait til I’ve kicked your ass at Scrabble, Ed.

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38969 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:40:27 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38969 My head hurts even more now. My head hurts even more now.

]]> by: Peach http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38954 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:33:59 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38954 I'm never not going to understand this now I’m never not going to understand this now

]]> by: Guy http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38950 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:23:32 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38950 Thanks Cliff - this is exactly why I read This. Everytime I worry that I'm a pedantic bastard I can reassure myself that I'm in good company, can't I? G Thanks Cliff - this is exactly why I read This. Everytime I worry that I’m a pedantic bastard I can reassure myself that I’m in good company, can’t I?

G

]]> by: Emom http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38931 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:55:46 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38931 Wendy Says: September 4th, 2007 at 7:49 am "No, I’m not." That doesn't mean she's busy writing her own blog does it? No? Wendy Says:

September 4th, 2007 at 7:49 am
“No, I’m not.”

That doesn’t mean she’s busy writing her own blog does it?
No?

]]> by: ted http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38929 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:39:45 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38929 Don't try it in Japan: Me: That's not too drafty for you? Yoshi: Yes Me: OK, I'll close it Yoshi: No! Don’t try it in Japan:

Me: That’s not too drafty for you?
Yoshi: Yes
Me: OK, I’ll close it
Yoshi: No!

]]> by: Gargoyle http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38926 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:29:14 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38926 If it's good enough for Disraeli then it's good enough for me: "I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?" Bah. Isn't it? If it’s good enough for Disraeli then it’s good enough for me:

“I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?”

Bah. Isn’t it?

]]> by: Cliff http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38925 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:25:09 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38925 Are you not well, Ed? Are you not well, Ed?

]]> by: Ed R http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38924 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:15:06 +0000 http://www.thisisthis.org/2007/09/04/the-negative-assumption/#comment-38924 My head hurts. My head hurts.

]]>