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<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=375333606-26082005>Hi Wayne,</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=375333606-26082005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>I am not a
linguist nor good at English but here are my 2 cents about the use of
"arguably"</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>As Karl
Popper pointed<SPAN class=375333606-26082005>,</SPAN> for a theory to be
scientific it must be falsifable. This is the main rule for a scientific theory.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005></SPAN><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff>May be
in this sense the sentence "Chomksy is arguably the greatest linguist <SPAN
class=375333606-26082005>who has ever lived</SPAN>" strenghtens the claim by
stressing that it is not a dogmatic claim but a claim whose value can be
scientifically/by arguing can also be verified. <SPAN
class=375333606-26082005>I would say if we argue over something and reach a
conclusion it is firmer and stronger than some concencus we reached without
arguing.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=375333606-26082005>As a different example </SPAN>we would not say "Pope is
arguably the holyest person living in the world" because being holly or not is
not something arguable.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>Best,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=718431506-26082005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>Caner</FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV>
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com [mailto:lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>Wayne Leman<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 26, 2005 12:35
AM<BR><B>To:</B> lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Lexicog]
arguably<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><TT>Could someone on the list help me understand
the word "arguably"? I hear it <BR>used a lot. I think I understand what it
means. I've read its dictionary <BR>meanings. I didn't grow up hearing or
using it. Is there some "hook" to <BR>remember what it means. My brain has
gotten it backwards, I think, where it <BR>seems to me that "unarguably" would
make more sense instead of saying <BR>"arguably." If we have to argue over
something it's not clear to everyone.<BR><BR>"Chomsky is arguably the greatest
linguist who has every lived."<BR><BR>Well, of course, we can quibble over the
claim of that sentence, but how can <BR>I get it into my head what "arguably"
means there?<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Wayne Leman <BR><BR></TT>
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