[lit-ideas] Re: "Bleach smells like bleach"
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 13:29:22 EST
In a message dated 2/7/2005 1:12:43 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, pas@xxxxxxxx
writes:
'calcium
hypochlorite' which is used as a more stable solid form (like swimming pool
tablets/pucks) of chlorination chemicals and doesn't actually smell "like
bleach", but more like chlorine and so... you are right, in your case,
"bleach (your bleach) smells like bleach (our bleach)" is inchoherent and
in fact, wrong.
--- Hey, not so far.
I don't think you can apply a _transparent_ reading (in Quine's sense) of
"bleach smells like bleach"
as if it meant:
[your] bleach smells like [my] bleach
and have that be _contradictorily wrong_.
Some OED quotes below, which may be relevant. I'm surprised the OED does not
go into any detail, as far as I can see, into what kind of chemical compound
'bleach' Russellianly designates. The OED notes there's a 'bleach-2', which
may come from 'black', and is defined as 'any substance used for blackening'
things.
Thanks for your comments,
Cheers,
JL
---
'bleach'
I
[Sense 1 is perh. the same as OE. <Nco paleness, f. blác, <Nc, shining,
pale. Sense 3 is directly from the vb.: cf. â??a wash.â??]
First usage: whiteness, paleness.
1050 Cott. Cleop. Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker Voc. 465 Pallor, blæco. 1400 Pol.
Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 255 Brest & hert was bete to bleche.
second usage: a disease of the skin. Cf. OE. <Nce leprosy.
1601 _HOLLAND_
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/help/bib/oed2-h3.html#holland)
Pliny I. 391 A certaine gum that is passing good for the
bleach, scabs and scals in little children.
third usage: an act of bleaching; as â??a thorough bleach in the sun.â?? A
bleaching process; also, a bleached condition.
1887 Sci. Amer. 16 Apr. 249/3 What is known as â??the three-quarter bleachâ??
with flax. 1920 Discovery Mar. 86/2 A perfect bleach is almost impossible to
secure.
fourth usage: A bleaching liquor or powder.
1898 Daily News 15 Dec. 6/5 A quantity of bleach escaped from a tank at one
of the paper mills. 1910 Daily Chron. 23 Apr. 7/3 There are several good
nail bleaches that are safe to use. 1970 Which? May 149/1 All the scouring
powders contained some bleach.
5. Comb. (See BLEACH v. 1) as bleach-croft, -field, -green, -grounds,
-works, -yard. Cf. BLEACHING.
1852 TOMLINSON Encycl. I. 133/2 Across the *bleach croft.
1753 Scots Mag. Sept. 468/2 Indicted for stealing..some stockings from a
*bleachfield. 1806 Gaz. Scotl. 339/2 The excellence of its water for
bleaching
processes has induced many to establish extensive printfields and
bleachfields on its banks. 1957 R. WATSON-WATT Three Steps Victory v. 33 A
polychromatic stream which served..as a carrier of bleachfield effluents. 1724
Chron. in
Ann. Reg. 114/1 The workmen employed at a neighbouring *bleach-green. 1815
Encycl. Brit. (ed. 5) III. 678 Who has large *bleach-grounds at Glasgow. 1818
COBBETT Resid. U.S. (1822) 296 Some oil of vitriol works near to my
*bleach-works. a1788 MRS. DELANY Life & Corr. (1861) III. 515 This place
is..much
enriched with *bleach yards.
----
'bleach' 2
[A derivative of BLACK, but the etymological formation is obscure. ME.
bleche looks like the southern form of blek, bleke in same sense, prob.
identical
with Icel. blek, Sw. bläk, Da. blæk blacking, ink: see BLECK. But it may go
back to an OE. <Nce or blæce: see BLACK. Bleech, bleach are later spellings
of bleche. But bletche implies a ME. blecche, OE. **cce, parallel to BLATCH,
ME. blacche, OE. *blæcce, on the OTeut. types *blakjo- and *blakkjo-: see
BLACK.]
first usage: any substance used for blacking; e.g. ink, soot, lamp-black,
and esp. shoemakers' or curriers' black used for leather.
[c1440 Promp. Parv. 39 Bleke, atramentum. c1483 Cath. Angl. 34 Blek.]
a1500 in Wr.-Wülcker Voc. 566 Atramentum, anglice, bleche. 1530 _PALSGR._
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/help/bib/oed2-p.html#palsgr)
199/1 Bleche for souters, attrament. 1576 BAKER Gesner's Jewell of Health
101b,
Shoemakers yncke or bleeche. 1580 _BARET_
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/help/bib/oed2-b.html#baret)
Alv. B794 Courriors
bleach..atramentum sutorium. 1611 COTGR., Attrament, inke; or bleach for
Shoomakers.
Ibid., Suye, soot of a chimney; any bleach.
second usage: Hence, in the old â??Compaynys of beestys [etc.]â?? the term
for,
A company of sutors. Obs.
1486 Bk. St. Albans Fvjb, A Bleche of sowteris, a Smere of Coryouris, a
Clustre of Grapys.
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