The Grice Club

Welcome

The Grice Club

The club for all those whose members have no (other) club.

Is Grice the greatest philosopher that ever lived?

Search This Blog

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Grice and the Pavonicide

Speranza

Saki (HH Monroe) uses the creative ('generative') expression "pavonicide" in a story in which a country house guest shoots a peacock.

“Some hostesses, of course, will forgive anything, even unto pavonicide”

Saki’s character adds “is there such a word?”

---

He has JUST used it. So there _is_ indeed such a word.

Grice: ""Is there such a word?" may be read to IMPLICATE -- but not say --, "as per "The" Dictionary". I never knew what DICTIONARY the Dictionary is supposed to be. Not the Colliers', I hope."

------------ This reminded Grice of his little dialogue with J. L. Austin (NOT his personal friend) compleat with Austin's rebuke:

--- The problem with you, Grice, is that you don't go through the dictionary as you should.
--- To be honest with you, I care a hoot about what the dictionary says.
--- And THAT, Grice, is your BIG mistake.

No comments:

Post a Comment