Re: Weird language idea

Quoting John Cowan <jcowan@...>:

> Andreas Johansson scripsit:
>
> > Not that I'm sure what it means to exist bluely, but I can think
> situations
> > where a distinction would be handy. F'rinstance, someone that believes in
> the
> > spiritual beneficacy of giving alms, but does not want to be in need of
> them
> > him/herself, might reject the assertion "poverty is desirable", but agree
> > that "poverty exists desirably", ie that "the existence of poverty is
> > desirable".
>
> I think that "poverty" is really being used polysemously there quite
> independent of the verb.  In your "poverty is desirable", "poverty"
> is a nominalization of "I am poor", whereas in your "poverty exists
> desirably", it is a nominalization of "someone is poor".
Well, you're probably right. And I can't, for now at least, think of a better
exampe, so I'll be waiting for a replies to the part above the "PS" of my
previous post ... Seriously, I thought a challenge like that would be enough
to fire of minor hurricane of replies.

                                                       Andreas