[lit-ideas] Will That Be In Finals?
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 10:49:32 -0500 (EST)
In a message dated 11/22/2013 3:00:55 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
"Inside the Examination Halls it's like a vomitorium during a Roman orgy.
This tradition dies hard as it makes the Classics scholars feel right at
home."
...
"The main advantage of this system is to produce people with a Pythonesque
sense of reality and a disrespect for examination systems. Some of these
become tutors."
---
Part of the implicature in Geary's play, "Will That Be In Finals?" relies,
indeed, on this Python that McEvoy refers to.
Surely there are a few scenarios.
TUTOR: teaches x.
Student: Will that be in finals?
The implicature seems to be: "I hope it will, for you -- and most
importantly, I -- am otherwise wasting my time."
Geary pokes fun on this allowing for different of what he calls 'snappy
answers' from the tutor.
Consider a 'no'.
"No, that will not be in finals".
At this point, as per Grice's logic of conversation, the challenge is on
the student who is allowed to ask why he is being 'taught' (or 'learned' * )
that, and so on.
Cheers,
Speranza
---
"The Wind in the Willows":
The Toad, having finished his breakfast, picked up a stout stick and swung
it vigorously, belabouring imaginary animals. `I'll learn 'em to steal my
house!' he cried. `I'll learn 'em, I'll learn 'em!'
`Don't say "learn 'em," Toad,' said the Rat, greatly shocked. `It's not
good English.'
`What are you always nagging at Toad for?' inquired the Badger, rather
peevishly. `What's the matter with his English? It's the same what I use
myself, and if it's good enough for me, it ought to be good enough for you!'
`I'm very sorry,' said the Rat humbly. `Only I THINK it ought to be "teach
'em," not "learn 'em."'
`But we don't WANT to teach 'em,' replied the Badger. `We want to LEARN
'em--learn 'em, learn 'em! And what's more, we're going to DO it, too!'
`Oh, very well, have it your own way,' said the Rat. He was getting rather
muddled about it himself, and presently he retired into a corner, where he
could be heard muttering, `Learn 'em, teach 'em, teach 'em, learn 'em!'
till the Badger told him rather sharply to leave off.
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