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In article <ebpbf2lmbdrpgf80jnto1ut090862cchve@xxxxxxx>,
Lester Zick <dontbother@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:37:42 -0600, Virgil <virgil@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >In article <2nf9f2tqquu6umf301ss7l6r6ntqr0fkia@xxxxxxx>,
> > Lester Zick <dontbother@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> >If in any statement involving the definiendum it can be replace by the
> >> >definiens without change of meaning, one has a valid definition.
> >>
> >> Which of course doesn't make the definition true.
> >
> >AS definitions are expressed in the imperative mood
> >(let 'A' represent 'B'!) and only statements in the declarative mood or
> >possibly the subjunctive, can be true or false, it is impossible to make
> >a definition either true or false.
>
> Oh do tell us, sport, if this indeed represents the epistemology of
> modern math?
This is the grammatic structure of English, and some other languages, as
well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_mood#Imperative_mood
Imperative mood
The imperative mood expresses commands, direct requests, and
prohibitions. In many circumstances, directly using the imperative mood
seems blunt or even rude, so it is often used with care. Example: "Paul,
read that book".
Many languages, including English, use the bare verb stem to form the
imperative. In English, second-person is implied by the imperative
except when first-person plural is specified, as in "Let's go."
[edit]
Indicative mood
The indicative mood is used in factual statements. All intentions in
speaking that a particular language does not put into another mood use
the indicative. It is the most commonly used mood and is found in all
languages. Example: "Paul is reading books" or "Paul reads books".
[edit]
Declarative mood
Closely related is the declarative mood which indicates that the
statement is true, without any qualifications being made. It is in many
languages equivalent to the indicative mood, although sometimes
distinctions between them are drawn.
[edit]
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