Thursday, June 24, 2010

on certainty 530

530. I may tell someone “this colour is called ‘red’ in English” (when for example I am teaching him English). In this case I should not say “I know that this colour…” – I would perhaps say that if I had just now learned it, or by contrast with another colour whose English name I am not familiar with.



if you are teaching English – all you need to say is –

‘this colour is called ‘red’ in English –

and you should add the qualification –

‘it really always depends on circumstance and context –

but you will get the hang of this –

as you get more familiar with using the language’

if you have just learnt it –

and you think telling someone this is relevant –

what you say is –‘I have just learnt it’

as to contrasting with another colour –

whose English name you are not familiar with –

if you want to do this – what you say is –

‘I am familiar with what this colour is called in English –

but not with what that colour is called’

‘I know’ – has no role to play –

it is irrelevant


greg t. charlton. 2010.