ordinary language, n.Definitions

Ordinary language (n.) contains ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠no theory of seeing; it shows you not a theory but a concept of seeing.

Ordinary language (n.) conceals ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the structure of the proposition: relations look like predicates and predicates like names.

Ordinary language (n.) provides ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠for all cases of uncertainty; philosophical objections are only to its misinterpretations.

Ordinary language (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not insufficient but slightly cumbrous: we must describe a tactile sensation in words like 'eye' and 'finger' that entail the existence of things the sensation does not.

Ordinary language (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠all right; ideal languages are built not to replace it but to remove the trouble of someone who thinks he has the exact use of a common word.

Ordinary language (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the notation that pervades all our life, and it holds the mind rigidly in one position, where it sometimes feels cramped and longs for others, until further notations loosen the cramp.

Ordinary language (n.) fits ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠most obviously certain very special applications of "willing", "thinking", "reading" — which we then mistake for the full-fledged cases.