19: Sentences with baggage - Presuppositions
b"What\\u2019s so weird if I say, \\u201cthe present King of France is bald\\u201d or \\u201cI need to pick up my pet unicorn from the vet\\u201d? It seems like those sentences should be false: at least, they certainly can\\u2019t be true. But if you reply, \\u201cNo, he isn\\u2019t\\u201d or \\u201cNo, you don\\u2019t\\u201d it still feels unsatisfying: aren\\u2019t we still both assuming that France has a king and that I have a pet unicorn? \\n\\nIn this episode of Lingthusiasm, your hosts Lauren Gawne and Gretchen McCulloch explore different kinds of meanings: sometimes sentences wear their meaning on their sleeves, but sometimes they instead smuggle it in as baggage. These assumptions are known as presuppositions. Presuppositions are incredibly useful (we couldn\\u2019t manage conversations at a normal pace without them), but in the wrong hands (such as when you\\u2019re trying to influence an eyewitness) they can also be very dangerous. \\n\\nThis month\\u2019s bonus episode on Patreon is about memes, poetry, and mock-old English: Roses are red / Violets are dreams / In this episode / We talk poems and memes. To listen to bonus episodes and support the show, visit patreon.com/lingthusiasm\\n\\nWe also announced a new round of Lingthusiasm merch: you can now get scarves with a subtle tree diagram print suitable for all your language family tree/syntax tree and other structural needs, and t-shirts, mugs, totes, and pouches with Heck Yeah Descriptivism or Heck Yeah Language Change on them, as well as the existing IPA scarves and NOT JUDGING YOUR GRAMMAR, JUST ANALYSING IT items in more colours! Go to lingthusiasm.com/merch to see pictures and order.\\n\\nTo see this episode's shownotes, go to https://lingthusiasm.com/post/173106183816/lingthusiasm-episode-19-sentences-with-baggage"