649. (I
once said to someone – in English – that the shape of a certain branch was
typical of an elm, which my companion denied. Then we came past some ashes, and
I said “There, you see, here are the branches I was speaking about”. To which
he replied “But that’s an ash” – and I said “I always meant ash when I said
elm”)
‘I always meant ash when I said elm’
here there is a claim of certainty –
despite the fact –
the apparent fact of – uncertainty
and what justifies this claim?
nothing at all in fact –
it is just self-serving rhetoric