Yes, this is exactly right. I should have made this point myself. The sense of "What is it?" is very close to "How does it work?" It invariably includes a description or explanation.
On Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 5:47 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > In a message dated 8/1/10 1:15:19 PM, [email protected] writes: > > > There is an > ambiguity, then, in the German 'heissen,' which does not come across in > English very well. > > > There is indeed. It is broader than what is that called or named. You are > just as likely to get an explanation of what the thing is used for as you > are to find out what to call it. When trying to learn something very > simple,like how to say spoon using German,it is disconcerting to have > someone dmonstrate how to use a spoon. "Namen" works better. Presumably this > difference is what Wittgenstein intended to be understood? > KAte sullivan
