Re: Negation

From: G&P
Message: 61881
Date: 2008-12-05

>>>> other things being equal words get shorter and shorter rather
>>>> than longer and longer
>>>If this principle were true, we'd be left with only short words like /u/
>>>after 200 000 years. but as Latin shows, .

>>You'll find exceptions in French also .. But the basic point is still
>>correct - in general words tend to get shorter.
>>The mistake is to think that a strong tendency is a hard-and-fast invariable
>>rule.

>I wonder what you are trying to say, Peter.

Piotr pointed to a general tendency.  You responded as if it were an unvarying rule.  I said it is a mistake to think a strong tendency is a hard-and-fast invariable rule.

 

That’s what I was trying to say.  I hope I have now said it.

 

Peter