Re: Láadan

 --- John Cowan <jcowan@...> wrote: >
Nik Taylor scripsit:
>
> > Case in point: Sheet versus blanket.  A blanket
> covers you, a sheet
> > either covers you or covers your mattress.  To me,
> "blanket" and "top
> > sheet" should be one word, and "bottom sheet"
> another.
>
> You have a hold of the right stick but at the wrong
> end: a sheet is a
> device which protects the mattress or blanket,
> making it unnecessary to
> change it so often.  One might group sheets and
> underwear into a single
> lexical category.
>
sortof, but what of undersheets ? the undersheet
protects the matress, but the sheet on to of it
provides a comfortable material for the person to
sleep on.

so i'm not sure that 'sheet' is purely functional (
also what of sleeping with just a sheet on top of you
in hot weather ? )

i would say 'sheet' is dependent on its form : a large
rectangle of fine, soft material, and only secondarily
on its function

of course, fitted sheets ( bleurgh ) don't have the
right form, but only in that they've been elsasticated
to fit a matress better

bn

=====
bnathyuw | landan | arR
stamp the sunshine out | angelfish
your tears came like anaesthesia | phèdre

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