6.0607 Qs: Housing in London; Illogical Constructions (2/30)
Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Fri, 19 Mar 1993 17:57:22 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 6, No. 0607. Friday, 19 Mar 1993.
(1) Date: Fri, 19 Mar 93 10:50 CST (9 lines)
From: TB0WPW1@NIU.BITNET
(2) Date: 18 Mar 93 18:56:57 EST (21 lines)
From: "David A. Hoekema" <DHOEKEMA@legacy.Calvin.EDU>
Subject: Illogical constructions
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 93 10:50 CST
From: TB0WPW1@NIU.BITNET
A colleague who is not on e-mail is looking for an
inexpensive flat-share or sublet in London from July or September 1993
through June of 1994. Replies can come to me and I'll pass them on to
him. Thanks
William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU
Department of English, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 USA
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------36----
Date: 18 Mar 93 18:56:57 EST
From: "David A. Hoekema" <DHOEKEMA@legacy.Calvin.EDU>
Subject: Illogical constructions
>From pure curiosity (and desire to avoid the work I should be doing) I
wonder whether any rhetoricians in the, so to speak, radio audience know of
a term for, or a treatment of, certain locutions that are immediately
comprehensible even though utterly nonsensical, such as
--"Haven't you ever seen [Comedian X]? He's just like Steve Martin, only
more so."
--"It doesn't matter--it's the same difference."
--"I could care less what happens to her."
(The last doesn't fit, since it has a logical meaning; the anomaly is that
the meaning is exactly contrary to the one conveyed.)
These are not oxymoronic, nor ironic. Any suggestions regarding their
categorization and function, or, failing that, any other amusing examples?
|| David Hoekema, Academic Dean, Calvin College (Grand Rapids MI 49546) ||
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