--- by J. L. Speranza, Esq., etc. F. R. S. (failed), etc.
------ for the Grice Club, etc.
---
R. B. Jones wrote in "Strand 5", THIS BLOG: "Speranza has made much lately of Grice in his strand 5 on "central meaning". I would like to engage, but feel the need to start at an earlier point in Grice's exposition."
Hear, hear.
Incidentally, I'm never convinced that the Strands Grice Saw were the Strands to be seen.
One night, half a dozen tourists met together in Trafalgar Square.
A fourth nights tour on the Continent was planned
And each had his portmento in his hand.
Down the Rhine they meant to have a picnic too.
Joan said, "I must decline.
The boys are being advised by me
Stay away from Germany
What's the good of going down the Rhine?"
"Let's all go down the Strand,
Let's all go down the Strand
I'll be leader,
You can march behind
Come with me and see
-- what you can find."
"Let's all go down the Strand,
Oh what a happy land!
That's the place for fun and noise,
All among the girls and boys!
So:
Let's all go down the Strand!"
One day five and twenty convicts
Satted by their twenty little cells.
The bell then sounded, 'Ding-a-ding-a-dong':
To exercise the prisoners came along.
Buggler Ben exclaimed to Jacks The Warden
"To me, sir, it's very strange
The men are tired of going round
Round and round the same old ground."
"I purpose we make a little change."
"Let's all go down the Strand,
Let's all go down the Strand
I'll be leader,
You can march behind
Come with me and see
-- what you can find."
"Let's all go down the Strand,
Oh what a happy land!
That's the place for fun and noise,
All among the girls and boys!
So:
Let's all go down the Strand!"
III
Gray crowds gathered round to welcome
Shackleton returning from the poll.
The Lord Mayor welcomed all the galant crew
And said: "My lads, I've got a treat for you."
"Come with me. The mansion house awaits you
A banquet shall be supplied
But a towering, grumbling mood
Said, "We don't want any food."
Then he turned to Shackleton and sighed.
"Let's all go down the Strand,
Let's all go down the Strand
I'll be leader,
You can march behind
Come with me and see
-- what you can find."
"Let's all go down the Strand,
Oh what a happy land!
That's the place for fun and noise,
All among the girls and boys!
So:
Let's all go down the Strand!"
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Do tell us what you think the strands are.
ReplyDeleteRBJ
No, I think you are right. They possibly are eight or nine, I forget. Seven, at most. Let me check.
ReplyDeleteYes, eight.
I was just punning on "The Strand" as per that bit of London where the Savoy is -- and overlooking the Thames at its best.
Is 'strand' ambiguous? Don't think so. What 'sense' of 'strand' is more basic?
I should check this. Etc.
Possibly we have TWO words here.
ReplyDeleteOne is 'strand' as the way Grice uses it. My source is the online etymological dictionary. It reads for 'strand':
"fiber of a rope, string, etc.," late 15c., probably from Old French "estran", from a Germanic source akin to Old High German, streno "lock, tress, strand of hair," Middle Dutch strene, German Strähne "skein, strand," of unknown origin."
----
"The Strand" as per the music-hall ditty is however,
"strand-2"
i.e. (as per same source):
"shore," Old English strand, from Primitive Germanic *strandas (cf. Danish, Swedish strand "beach, shore, strand," Old Norse strönd "border, edge, shore," Middle Low German strant, German Strand, Dutch strand "beach"), perhaps from Proto Indo-European base *ster- "to stretch out." Strictly, the part of a shore that lies between the tide-marks. Formerly also used of river banks, hence the London street name (1246)."
The street name then indicates the old 'strand'. But Grice just means 'fiber' and I suppose he can detect as many strands as he wishes. Etc.