tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851981677644878233.post3786078558320347345..comments2023-10-25T02:16:28.192-06:00Comments on Ryan's linguistics blog: AttachmentRyan Denzer-Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04015316224715016479noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851981677644878233.post-74262561075283524452008-01-03T15:04:00.000-07:002008-01-03T15:04:00.000-07:00Here's a question from Joe Posnanski's blog:RT 10:...Here's a <A HREF="http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2007/12/22/the-twelve-random-thoughts-of-christmas/" REL="nofollow">question</A> from Joe Posnanski's blog:<BR/><BR/><I>RT 10: If not.<BR/><BR/>So I got an email the other day who said that I was “one of the goofiest, if not the goofiest, writers in America.” I appreciate the sentiment though to be honest, the word he used was somewhat more pungent than “goofiest.” Anyway, it gets to a question that has been bugging me forever … How would you define “if not?”<BR/><BR/>See, in my view, the sentence above can be translated to mean that I am one of the goofiest writers in America and I also may be THE goofiest writer in America. I translate “if not” to be inclusive of both propositions.<BR/><BR/>However, there are people who read it exactly the opposite way. They believe “if not” excludes the second choice. So reading it that way, the sentence would actually be saying that I am one of the goofiest writers in America but I’m definitely NOT the goofiest writer in America.<BR/><BR/>I’ve emailed my concerns about “if not” to various writer friends, and they have given me conflicting points of view. So I remain confused. If not baffled.<BR/><BR/>If that guy who wrote me that email saw THIS post, he probably would not have qualified his statement in the first place.</I><BR/><BR/>Any thoughts?Alex Remingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14172213313013579117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851981677644878233.post-19840195280898406182007-11-25T06:30:00.000-07:002007-11-25T06:30:00.000-07:00Ahem, let me clarify. The sentence should read "Pe...Ahem, let me clarify. The sentence should read "People taking other NSAID's <I>and</I> the elderly should consult their doctor."<BR/><BR/>Semantically, the "or" doesn't make sense. The sentence is saying that two separate groups of people ought to consult their doctor: the "or" comes in with the implication that if the viewer falls into one group <I>or</I> the other, he or she should heed the advice. However, the advice is intended for members of both groups, and to capture that an "and" is necessary.Alex Remingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14172213313013579117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851981677644878233.post-38858929063695212652007-11-22T09:42:00.000-07:002007-11-22T09:42:00.000-07:00I think part of the problem is that the sentence s...I think part of the problem is that the sentence should read: "People taking other NSAID's or the elderly should consult their doctor."<BR/><BR/>If someone should consult their doctor, there shouldn't be an or.Alex Remingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14172213313013579117noreply@blogger.com