From: M Lissack (lissacktravel@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat 31 Jan 2004 - 18:28:38 GMT
Danny:
Indexicals are word tokens which stand for [words
ideas things events etc] where the meaning of the word
token is determined by reference to the
situation/context in which the word token is used
thus the word token functions like an index does in
that it stands for the larger set of which it is but a
sign
the NYSE index and the DJIA are both indexes which
stand for the stock market in some sense
pronouns are indexes which stand for the nouns which
they signify
a New England common was an indexical in that it could
be the grazing field, play ground, garden, meeting
place, parking lot etc
if a word token has only one meaning not
situationally/contextual determined it is not an
indexical however even one meaning word tokens can be
used indexically to stand for something
else/larger/etc
see:
http://csli-publications.stanford.edu/site/1575862697.html
--- Danny Iny <danny@dandesign.co.il> wrote:
> I've been thinking about the example of the park
> bench that has been going around here for the last
> few days, and I'm starting to think Michael might be
> right about his redefinition. The bench acts as a
> catalyst for certain responses in the viewers, with
> the responses varying depending on which other such
> catalysts they've been exposed to in the past.
>
> I tried reading Michael's article again, but I found
> the language very difficult to navigate (sorry
> Michael). In trying to better understand his idea, I
> thought about the new definition - catalytical
> indexicals. I know what a catalyst is, but I wasn't
> sure about indexicals (I understand the word but it
> doesn't seem to make much sense in the context). A
> search on Dictionary.com gave me the following
> definition for indexical (as a noun): "A deictic
> word or element". Another search for deictic (also
> as a noun) turned up "A deictic word, such as I or
> there?".
>
> Michael, I think I understand what you mean by memes
> as catalysts, but I'm not so clear about the
> indexicals part. On a scale of one to ten, how good
> is my grasp of your redefinition? Maybe we would all
> benefit if you could post your redefinition in just
> a couple of paragraphs, more clearly stated (the
> whole problem with the old definition is that it's
> so muddled and everyone has a different view on what
> exactly it is... a new definition that suffers from
> the same problems doesn't solve much).
>
>
> Danny
>
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