Instigator
The Radical Linguist (henceforth known as the RadLin to Bob in vancouver),who is eager to rebell against all definitions, should also have enough foresight to recognize the danger in doing so.
I can relate to the radical linguist and i understand the point he stresses so desperately; that all definitions are subjective and that language is the main definer of our individual reality, but to rebell against “the common ground” of language is to alienate and isolate yourself on an ever-shrinking island of understanding. Communication becomes a farce, a frustrated dance of missunderstandings and semantics and, taken far enough, brings death to the exchange of culture in all forms except extreme abstracts.
It is not enough to be aware of semantics and recognize that everyday distortions ( R.A.Wilson calls it noise ) are cluttering up communication. Its not enough to know and rebell, but nessessary to incorporate this information, this knowledge and integrate it with everyday life. To use it to further communication between individuals, instead of corrupting it with disinformation and confusion. E-prime seems a positive way of furthering communications.
Linguistic anarchy doesnt.
Ofcourse if chaos and confusion is the goal (rather then the misguided “means” towards a different goal), thats another matter.
