Re: Common ancestor between man and ape

On Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:45:25 +0000, UC wrote:

On Jun 8, 12:58 pm, Will in New Haven
<bill.re...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Men ARE apes. The equivalent to saying "dogs are wolves" would be to
say that men are chimpanzees, which they aren't. There is a larger
grouping that includes men and the OTHER apes. It has a scientific
name and you will accept it under that name but you won't accept it
under ape.

That's correct, because the MEANING of the word 'ape' prohibits it,
and you cannot change the meaning of the word 'ape' arbitrarily to
override it.

First, the meaning of a word never, EVER, prohibits another meaning of
the same word.

Second, anyone can change the meaning of any word as arbitrarily as they
want. And they do. That's how language changes.

Third, the meaning of "ape" which includes humans is not arbitrary. It
is the meaning which best accords with reality.

You keep using the word "meaning" in the singular. Almost every time you
do, you are wrong. The vast majority of words used in English have more
than one meaning. To deny it, or to insist that multiple meanings of
words is wrong, is to deny most of linguistics.

--
Mark Isaak eciton (at) earthlink (dot) net
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of
the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are
being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and
exposing the country to danger." -- Hermann Goering

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Common ancestor between man and ape
    ... the dictionary under 'ape', ... I'm saying they are not the final word, and that language evolves in a fashion ... but simply don't like the idea that they are animals. ... The meaning of ape has ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Common ancestor between man and ape
    ... under ape. ... It means essentially 'large primates other than men'. ... different, they are contradictory. ... second meaning of a word which is contrary to the first (and a second ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Common ancestor between man and ape
    ... under ape. ... It means essentially 'large primates other than men'. ... different, they are contradictory. ... second meaning of a word which is contrary to the first (and a second ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Chez Watt Re: Common ancestor between man and ape
    ... people, excepting the idiots, do not ignore lab results. ... that the defining features of apes also include humans, ... anaylsis) can change the meaning of the term 'ape'. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Common ancestor between man and ape
    ... under ape. ... and you cannot change the meaning of the word 'ape' arbitrarily to ... It means essentially 'large primates other than men'. ... different, they are contradictory. ...
    (talk.origins)