Re: [videoblogging] Re: OT: Taxonomy (was:Claudio's figuring it out (was: Your oldest vlog entry))

[Charles HOPE]

David Yirchott wrote: >Words are defined by their usage. Usage is determined by observation >of human beings; it is inescapably statistical. Some would say words are defined by the dictionary ;) And their usage is defined by their definition and the communicator's intent, But "usage" requires comprehension by the listener. A dictionary definition, and a communicator whose face is red with righteous wrath isn't enough. Thus... If more Toyota Camrys are sold than any car and more red Toyota Camrys are sold than any other color, that does not mean that a car is only defined as a red Toyota Camry or that all Toyota Camrys are red. ... if the overwhelming number of Camrys are red, then the prototypical Camry becomes red, and when people hear the word they will imagine that particular type of red car, and a person can say "the color of a Camry" and listeners will understand -- even though a few blue Camrys exist! >If I rip the rear view mirror off a car, it's still a car. But how >many parts can I remove until it ceases to be a car? One: the engine ;) So, if I bring someone to an apparently intact car, open the hood, and reveal the engine lacking, I should expect most people to turn to me and say "That is not a car"? Are you willing to stand by that as a prediction of the behavior of English speakers, or do you want to re-think this? but let's get back on point: what is unique and exclusive to a blog that makes it by definition different than a website? I won't discuss blogs until I prove to you that the conceptual fuzzyness of "blog" is equivalent to that of "car" or "mother", and not at all resembling the nonsensical pseudo-statements involved in theology, as you have so callously implied. We can go no further until you agree that, even though we all know what a "car" is, and we all agree that a heap of parts is not a car, we cannot agree upon a specific point at which the carness vanishes and the item becomes a bunch of parts. YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS  Visit your group "videoblogging" on the web.    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.