"Order of Merit": Grice on 'between'

We are discussing 'in no particular order' with L. J. Kramer. He notes:


"I guess it depends on whether this
order is a "particular" order
within the meaning of the phrase
"in no particular order". Seems like
a circular inquiry."

Right. But it ain't of course.

For we _do_ distinguish between

He keeps an ordered room.

His room is a mess: there's no 'order' to it.



Grice discusses this in connection with

Harry, Bill, Joe.

Suppose I say:

"Bill is between Harry and Joe"

--- Grice asks:

(i) Is the _meaning_ merely spatial,
i.e. is the supposition that
the intended addressee is to
entertain of the order of a
topological distribution of
objects in the assignated domain
of individuals?

or

(ii) Has the utterance another,
hidden meaning?

(e.g. some undefined
"order of merit")

Grice opts caeteris paribus for (i).

"Surely it would be otiose to say that 'between' has _two_ senses: one, as it applies to (i) and, two, as it applies to (ii). The addressee should be able to work out that a metaphorical _use_ of the utterance is attached to it, without us wanting to include polysemy into the, er, ... bargain."


"in a total disorder"

_should_ but perhaps does not explain Grice's inaptitude to confront the twelve betes noires at one fell swoop.