Re: Its Hard to Decipher....
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I'm puzzled as to your objection? Surely there is some interpretation occurring all the time when we listen to each other?
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That captures the nub of it. ( no reference to taking beasts into custody or of knobs intended).
If you take that meaning of 'interpretation' then 'literal' has no meaning in your world.
np. I'm too far removed from post-modern claims to cut that approach to meaning any slack. ( no intent to refer to knives or the tautness of ropes ).
interesting though, luckyme
ps. perhaps if you could define 'literal' and 'figurative' as you use them it would help. I'm not claiming my view is 'right ' (non-reference to bilaterals), just shocked at how far out my usage is to yours. No wonder ( none of the 7) we can't communicate.
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You really think we cant communicate? I dont think the problem you are alluding to is very prevalent - but I do think it happens.
There may be some small chance I will misinterpret 'capture' to be a reference to placing a beast in custody - so what? People misunderstand one another. We can revisit and clarify later if it becomes a problem.
When you speak, I begin by assuming you are intending your words to have their usual, literal meaning. Sometimes (as with "you're making me crazy") I take it to be non-literal, but familiar and commonly used turn of phrase. Sometimes, I have no clue what you're talking about - sometimes the words you've chosen seem to make no sense and I have to strain my brain and interpret what you meant. Is this really different from what you do?
How about my wife-mother example? You really dont know what my mother meant unless you know her - it is entirely possible that my wife's interpretation was exactly what my mother meant. The only way to know is from an understanding of how my mum would make a criticism of my wife. If you insist that words only have their literal meaning - why say things like "You guys are making me crazy"? is this a lie, an error or...something you intend to be interpreted in a non-literal fashion.
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