STONE (hypothetical). Do you mind if I sit _here_? Jenny: Yes. "In twenty-four languages she couldn't say no". In a message dated 9/4/2004 3:28:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, judithevans001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: >(Paul Stone) writes: Two things that piss me off: > 1) when I say "Do you mind if I sit here?" and the person being > asked says "Sure" Jac> There may be an 'implicature' explanation for the use of "Sure" as Jac> ellipsistical for "Sure I don't". The alternative, "Not at all", "No, I don't mind" Jac> bring an element of _negativity_ ("Not", "don't") which the utterer may not Jac> feel like bringing about. "Sure" cannot be but _positive_ (affirmative). I don't think there is an implicature like "Sure I don't", but I think you're right to bring in implicature and inference. If someone says "Do you mind if I sit here?" I never say simple "No", as they take that as "no you can't sit here". A rapid "No, please do sit here" is a bit too much like hard work... I've opted for "Sure" ("you may" understood, or "please do", or simply a smile and a gesture to the chair/s. ----- That's partly idiolectal. I'm sure Geary has heard: Geary: Do you mind if I sit here? Person: I sure don't. --- This adverbial use of 'sure' (vs. 'surely') is reminiscent of Stone's "I literally shit in my pants", but not quite. Note that according to Judy, the dialogue -- implicatures included -- goes: A: Do you mind if I sit here? B: Sure (+> you may) -- but A never asked if they may or may not, only if B _minded_. So there seems to be something like a long-circuit implicature here: A: Do you mind if I sit here? B: Sure (+> you may -- as a consequence of "I don't mind" which is what A is inquiring (literally). Ditto for Judy's other opted response: A: Do you mind if I sit here? B: Please do. with the implicature that B would not _order_ or utter the imperative "_do_" unless B did _not_ mind ("No, I don't mind" coming out as implicated, then). Cheers, JL ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html