The number of hairs on your head at a given point in space and time are a fact, and can be theoretically known. I always say that once we know everything about a subject, there can be no ambiguity, no "alternate point of view". A fact, or "the truth" about a thing is singular. Whether or not we perceive it is a different question.
Bob S > On Sep 8, 2021, at 13:20 , Brian Milby via use-livecode > <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com> wrote: > > Ah, the problem with calling things “facts” where the data isn’t actually > knowable. The number of hairs on my head is a fact but not one that can be > accurately known. Kind of like the number of people who watched the Super > Bowl. In that context, true fact makes sense (also “cold hard fact”). While > it should be redundant, it emphasizes that the data being referenced is an > actual fact and not an assumed fact. > > My dad always was clear that “couple” of minutes was 2 and a few was 3. > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Sep 8, 2021, at 3:55 PM, J. Landman Gay via use-livecode >> <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com> wrote: >> >> My husband said the same when I told him about this thread. "Couple" means >> two. I said yes, but colloquially it can mean "two or three or somewhere in >> that range." We almost started a longer discussion about it, but I reminded >> him of our 30+ years of ongoing talk about a "fact" so we both stopped. >> >> Addendum: he claims there are "true facts." I say that is redundant, that a >> fact is by definition true, and he's implying there are false facts (or as >> we say in the US, "alternative facts.") This has been going on for years. >> It's a friendly, amusing, kind of false disagreement. Then one day we just >> looked it up in the dictionary and...a fact can either be a true bit of >> information, or a generic datum. >> >> And that spoiled all the fun. >> >> On 9/8/21 6:14 AM, Keith Martin via use-livecode wrote: >>>>> On Sep 7, 2021, at 11:04 PM, Martin Koob via use-livecode >>>>> <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> My wife and I have an ongoing disagreement about the term 'couple of’ in >>>> terms of counting. I say it means around 2 or 3ish. She says it means 2. >>>> Further she says if you wanted to say 3 or 4 you would say ‘a few’. >>> I'm the kind of person that distinguishes between 'like' (exclusive: >>> similar to but not) and 'such as' (inclusive: similar to and part of the >>> comparison set), so this is coming from a position of pedantry, but that's >>> because I am a writer... >>> Strictly speaking, 'a couple' means two, no more and no less. In casual use >>> (when counting, not when referring to relationship partnerships) it isn't >>> unusual for it to be used in place of 'a few' and possibly mean three or >>> even four, but it's not technically *correct.* >>> I too hope your wife's logic is what holds true! >>> :) >>> k >> >> >> -- >> Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com >> HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> use-livecode mailing list >> use-livecode@lists.runrev.com >> Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription >> preferences: >> http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode > > _______________________________________________ > use-livecode mailing list > use-livecode@lists.runrev.com > Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription > preferences: > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode _______________________________________________ use-livecode mailing list use-livecode@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode
