Infinite vocabulary

[Alice Faber]

Paul Frank wrote:
>
>Your student is right about the importance of context and the endless supply
>of expressions for sex. However, though the list may be as infinite as
>Borges's universal library, some verb-noun pairings would seem to be
>excluded from it. Saying "I think they're watching the paint dry, dragging
>their feet, beating around the bush, doing nothing to write home about" may
>mean lots of things, but not that they're doing it. Though come to think of
>it, these statements could all mean that the deed is in the offing.

I don't think there's any question about the middle two being capable
of packing quite a sexual innuendo; the outer two would merely be
comments on technique.

I can't believe I'm posting this.
--
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Alice Faber                                             faber at haskins.yale.edu
Haskins Laboratories                                  tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
New Haven, CT 06511 USA                                     fax (203) 865-8963