Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: Making it volitional

From:John Cowan <cowan@...>
Date:Tuesday, August 28, 2001, 3:38
Sally Caves scripsit:

> The English language doesn't have a verb "ignore" > that expresses inattention/non-knowledge. "Ignore" > always means willful "not noticing," whereas "ignorant" > means unintentionally unknowledgeable.
In the standard language. But in some dialects, one can use "ignorant" to describe someone who willfully does not notice as well. This is the origin of "ignorant" as a pejorative: "You low-down ignorant son-of-a-bitch", e.g. There would be no point in condemning people for unintentional lack of knowledge. -- John Cowan http://www.ccil.org/~cowan cowan@ccil.org Please leave your values | Check your assumptions. In fact, at the front desk. | check your assumptions at the door. --sign in Paris hotel | --Miles Vorkosigan

Replies

Sally Caves <scaves@...>
Sally Caves <scaves@...>