We said that the sentence, “Nothung has a
sharp edge”, has
meaning || sense even
if || when Nothung has
already been broken to pieces.
Now
that || this
is so because in this language game a name is also used
in the absence of its bearer.
But we can imagine a language game with names
(i.e. || that
is, with signs
that || which we should certainly || certainly
should also call
“names”) in which names are
used only in the presence of their bearers.
Suppose, say, that we were watching a surface
on which coloured spots were || are
moving || move about (as on the screen
of || in a cinema).
There are three such spots, which slowly change their shapes
and positions.
Suppose I
had || have
named them “P”,
“Q” and “R” by giving
ostensive definitions.
Our 30 ¤ language
describes the changes of these three, and I say to
you || we use sentences
like, || : “Do
you see how P is contracting now and is approaching
R?”. –
Now in this language these || the
names are supposed to be used as synonyms
for the demonstrative pronoun “this”
together with the pointing to a coloured
spot || (plus pointing to a coloured spot).
If || Thus
if one of the three spots disappears, then I
can't say “P has
disappeared” – any more than I should say “this
has disappeared” – but we might say
rather,
“The || the
letter ‘P’ drops out of use || is
out.”¤
In this language we || you may || can say, a name loses its meaning if || when its bearer ceases to exist, and the words || signs “P”, “Q” and “R” always have something corresponding to them || there is something which correspond to the words “P”, “Q” and “R” as long as they have any meaning – use in the language game – at all. (For in the sentence, “‘P’ drops out of use” || drops out” || is out”, the sign “‘P’” || ‘P’ occurs, but not “P”; and I assume that we do not || don't speak about past occurrences || events, or || or else here || use another || some other mode of expression for it || for them.) In this language game, then, a name cannot || can't cease to have a bearer; only this isn't any advantage || an asset of the language game, || ; for even when it hasn't a bearer a name may have a purpose, use, i.e. meaning || a name can have a purpose, use, i.e. meaning without having a bearer. (Thus || And thusthe name “Odysseus” has meaning for instance.) || , e.g., the name “Odysseus” has meaning.) |
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