But let's see: is the cry || call “slab!” in example (4) a sentence or a word? – If it's a word, then surely it hasn't anyway the same meaning as the word that's pronounced the same || “slab” in our ordinary language, for in our language (4) it is a cry || call; but if it's a sentence, then surely it isn't the elliptical sentence “slab!” of our language. ‒ ‒ ‒ As regards the first question, || : you can call “slab!” a word, and you can also call it a sentence; perhaps fittingly || best a “degenerate sentence” (as one speaks of a degenerate hyperbola). And it is precisely our “elliptical” sentence. ‒ ‒ ‒ But that is surely just a shortened form of the sentence, “Bring me a slab”, and || isn't this a shortened form of the sentence “Bring me a slab”? And there isn't any such || such a sentence in example || the language (4). But why should I not || shouldn't I rather call the sentence “Bring me a slab” a lengthening of the sentence “slab!”? ‒ ‒ ‒ Because the person who calls out “slab!” really means “Bring me a slab!”. ‒ ‒ ‒ But how do you do that || this, meaning this while you say “slab”? Do you say the unshortened sentence to yourself? And why should I, in order to say what you mean by the cry || call “slab!”, translate this expression into another? And if they mean the same, – why shouldn't I say: “When you say ‘slab!’ you mean ‘slab!’”? – Or: Why shouldn't it be possible for you to mean “slab!”, if you can mean “Bring me the slab”? ‒ ‒ ‒ But when I shout “slab!”, then surely what I want is
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¤ that he shall || shall bring me a slab. ‒ ‒ ‒ Certainly, but does “wanting this” consist in the fact that you, in some way, think || think in any form a different sentence from the one you speak? –