Re: lexicon

Tristan McLeay sikyal:

> >How about the distinction between "sell" and "vend"?
> >
>
> Vending machines vend, people sell :)
I've heard people vend, too. That's why they're called "vendors". ;)

> It does? I would've said the opposite: 'I'm offering the car for $2000'
> sounds like the kind of thing someone would say after someone had said
> they'll take it for $1800.
This sort of fits. More broadly, "offer" implies to me a price decided in
person by the seller, and theoretically negotiable. "Sell" implies a
fixed, non-negotiable price.

Let this not devolve into Yet Another English Usage Thread.

> >This is the sort of nuance that synonyms bring. You're welcome to omit
> >them if you'd like, but I consider it invaluable.
> >
> Even more valuable if people can't agree on their meaning :) (How can
> something be even more valuable than invaluable? :) )
It's great when people disagree on their meaning. It's all part of the
fun of language. And who would want to take away our fun?


Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/blog

Jesus asked them, "Who do you say that I am?"

And they answered, "You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground
of our being, the kerygma in which we find the ultimate meaning of our
interpersonal relationship."

And Jesus said, "What?"