“Assume that a stranger shouted at you “Broccoli!” Would you have any idea what he meant? You would not. If instead he shouted “I like broccoli” or “I hate broccoli” you would know immediately what he meant. But the word by itself, unless used as an answer to a question (e.g., “What vegetable would you like?”), conveys no meaning”
I don’t think that’s true? Surely the meaning is an attempt to bring that particular kind of cabbage to my attention, for as yet unexplained reasons.
I don’t think that’s true? Surely the meaning is an attempt to bring that particular kind of cabbage to my attention, for as yet unexplained reasons.
That’s a possible interpretation, but I wouldn’t say “surely.”
Some other possibilities.
The person picked the word apropos of nothing because they think it would be funny to mess with a stranger’s head.
It’s some kind of in-joke or code word, and they’re doing it for the amusement of someone else who’s present (or just themselves if they’re the sort of person who makes jokes nobody else in the room is going to get.)
If I heard someone shout “Broccoli” at me without context, my first assumption would be that they’d actually said something else and I’d misunderstood.
But this doesn’t seem particularly different from the ambiguity in all language. The linked site seems to suggest there’s some particular lack of meaning in isolated words.
Quoting from the linked blog:
“Assume that a stranger shouted at you “Broccoli!” Would you have any idea what he meant? You would not. If instead he shouted “I like broccoli” or “I hate broccoli” you would know immediately what he meant. But the word by itself, unless used as an answer to a question (e.g., “What vegetable would you like?”), conveys no meaning”
I don’t think that’s true? Surely the meaning is an attempt to bring that particular kind of cabbage to my attention, for as yet unexplained reasons.
That’s a possible interpretation, but I wouldn’t say “surely.”
Some other possibilities.
The person picked the word apropos of nothing because they think it would be funny to mess with a stranger’s head.
It’s some kind of in-joke or code word, and they’re doing it for the amusement of someone else who’s present (or just themselves if they’re the sort of person who makes jokes nobody else in the room is going to get.)
The person is confused or deranged.
If I heard someone shout “Broccoli” at me without context, my first assumption would be that they’d actually said something else and I’d misunderstood.
But this doesn’t seem particularly different from the ambiguity in all language. The linked site seems to suggest there’s some particular lack of meaning in isolated words.