[lit-ideas] Re: "The African Language" (Was: Julie's Query)

Le 29 juil. 04, =E0 21:36, Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx a =E9crit :

>
>
> In a message dated 7/28/2004 2:26:49 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> Robert.Paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> There  is, of course, no such language as 'African.'
>
>
>
>
>
> ----
>
> That's the nominalist in R. Paul, of course. There are _many_ Google=20=

> hits
> for 'African langauge', so, platonistically, it seems there _is_ such=20=

> a thing as
>  'the African language'.

M.C Interesting logic. I guess that means that if there are a number of=20=

google hits for "The Loch Ness monster", then there is such a things as=20=

the Loch Ness Monster.

        Call such reasoning what you will, but there's nothing =
"Platonic"=20
about it. It might be considered Avicennan, however, since Avicenna/Ibn=20=

Sina did argue that if we have a representation of a chimaera, then the=20=

chimaera exists......although he then went on to distinguish between=20
real and conceptual existence.

        Another point, or more pure linguistic-logical nature=A0: =
granted the=20
existence of "African languages", does this imply the existence of "the=20=

African language"? Surely not.  For the use of *the* + the singular in=20=

English implies unicity.

Best, Mike.

>
>
>
Michael Chase
(goya@xxxxxxxxxxx)
CNRS UPR 76
7, rue Guy Moquet
Villejuif 94801
France

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