"I regret that my poor choic of words caused some people to understand what I was saying"

Speranza



 Christopher Weywant, The New Yorker, Aug. 2012

R. Dale was drawing attention to this (elesewhere) -- and it may merit a Griceian analysis.

(i) I regret that my poor choice of words caused some people to understand what I was saying.

SELF-CONTRADICTORY.

Points:

Griceian:

distinction:

saying/meaning.

(ii) I regret that my poor choice of words caused some people to understand that I MEANT.

---

Strawson's point about 'understand' being a value-oriented concept.

(iii) "I want you to misunderstand me" -- as contradictory.

(iv) I regret that my poor choice of words caused some people to [OBVIOUSLY -- and the joke trades on this] MISunderstand what I was saying (or meant).

And so on.