[lit-ideas] Re: Kith Or Kin

Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx wrote:


I think Eric's point, amongst many is  Zeno Vendler.
I learned about Zeno Vendler reading David Holdcroft, "Words and Deeds: problems in the theory of speech acts" -- a criticism of J. L. Austin. Vendler wants to say that some verbs are _never_ grammatically well used in the imperative: 

----- Smile on your comrade!

-- Enjoy the  dinner!

-- Devote yourself to... [sh*t].
This seems just a weird stipulation on Vendler's part. (What is it to 'grammatically well used,' anyway?) 

'Smile you're on Candid Camera!'
Perhaps (director to actor): 'Smile, for [name of deity]'s sake—you're supposed to be happy in this scene!' is more imperative than the injunction to 'Smile, boys, that's the style...' but in any event, philosophers are fond of stipulating how we ordinary speakers should behave linguistically; they needn't be listened to.
I went to a party at (the late) Zeno Vendler's house once. Helen was in the kitchen, like a good graduate student wife. Some time after that they parted ways and she became a well-known literary critic, while Zeno became one of America's finest second-rate philosophers. 

Robert Paul.
overly critical

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