English isn’t too ambiguous. You have to believe that any language in which you can meaningfully say “The more I light my lighter, the lighter my lighter gets until it’s too light to light.” had to have been designed to be as ambiguous as possible.
It is not so much the interpretation that is lacking, here, as the inaccurate use of the language. Had Rat said, “approximately” instead of “roughly,” there would have been no problem, at all.
"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
Ambiguity’s great. Used in advertising (and other forms of political speech) all the time. Their message is ambiguous, and your mind fills in what it wants the message to be. Example:Things go better with Coke.
Reminds me of one day when I went to the in-laws house to pick up a twin bed they were giving to one of our daughters. At the time, they were hosting a foreign exchange student from Germany. I needed help carrying the bed out to the truck, so I asked the student to give me a hand. She paused for a minute and then said, “You want me to give you my hand?” That’s the point I realized that slangs do not translate in all languages.
We cut the cable here. We have three cellphones, one for each of us, and a cellphone that acquired our old landline number. The telephones are all TracFones, costing $12.50/month.
We dropped the landline and cable teevee, and kept only the Internet. Our bill from Spectrum (formerly Time-Warner) is $73/month. We added Netflix, Hulu+, and Amazon Prime, via streaming with a ROKU device. There was an initial saving of $60/month.
That savings is slowing going away as prices for the additional services for streaming increases. However, we have have thousands of shows and movies such that we cannot possibly watch everything. I particularly favor the PLUTO channel on the ROKU.
Not only does cable TV turn your mind to mush… they actually have people paying for the privilege. That’s marketing for ya.
Imagine what people might accomplish if they had to spend their spare time being productive, or enjoying family time, become artists or musicians or weavers or take up other interesting hobbies. Gasp… society might… mature!
No no… let’s get serious now… heh heh. I’m such a joker.
After looking at and paying said bill, you sure feel like you have been beaten up. Why can’t cable wise up and dump those egregious contracts and many who left for streaming and no long term commitments might return? But no they are still doing their “thing” which surely isn’t profitable now.
Very true, but if you’re trained by, say, the patented AT&T Human Resource Assessment Evaluation job, you are instilled with the joy of simple language taking the other person just to the point of stroke. And, I do not apologize to my Financial Advisor.
Just thinking of that myself during this morning’s commute. Who decided that ‘raised’ and ‘razed’ should sound the same, but with completely opposite meanings?
BE THIS GUY almost 5 years ago
Pig had been waiting for that opening for a long time.
Wilde Bill almost 5 years ago
That gave me a warm feeling. Am I wrong?
garcoa almost 5 years ago
Looks more like tell and show.
DennisinSeattle almost 5 years ago
“I also want to know, roughly what do we pay for electricity?” WHAM “And water?” WHAM<CRACK
B UTTONS almost 5 years ago
Pig has been interning with Guido the local loan shark muscle. Rat is lucky not to be left with busted knees.
Nachikethass almost 5 years ago
That’s quite rough!
Martin I almost 5 years ago
He should have asked for a ballpark figure
lordhoff almost 5 years ago
I think Pig’s been planning that for a while --
Concretionist almost 5 years ago
English isn’t too ambiguous. You have to believe that any language in which you can meaningfully say “The more I light my lighter, the lighter my lighter gets until it’s too light to light.” had to have been designed to be as ambiguous as possible.
Troglodyte almost 5 years ago
We can safely say Rat was stunned with the answer?! :D
Yontrop almost 5 years ago
But that was roughly roughly.
Ksandler4570 almost 5 years ago
This one took me a sec, but I dig it.
James Wolfenstein almost 5 years ago
A hundred bucks?????? how can they afford it? it’s like ultra premium all-sports package!
rdav1248961 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Rat deserved it
MayCauseBurns almost 5 years ago
Looking at my cable bill makes me feel the same way.
Breadboard almost 5 years ago
Well played Pig ! …Croc Power !
WoodstockJack almost 5 years ago
It is not so much the interpretation that is lacking, here, as the inaccurate use of the language. Had Rat said, “approximately” instead of “roughly,” there would have been no problem, at all.
"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
S.L. Clemons
zerotvus almost 5 years ago
cable sucks!
chris_o42 almost 5 years ago
That’s just plain funny!
Zebrastripes almost 5 years ago
Pig unhinged….now he feels better about himself!
Masterskrain almost 5 years ago
YEAH!!! GO FOR IT, PIG!!!!
Carl Rennhack Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Today’s question: HOW ARE RAT & PIG ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS?
Linguist almost 5 years ago
$100?? Rat’s watching too many PPV porn movies, again.
Steverino Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Ambiguity’s great. Used in advertising (and other forms of political speech) all the time. Their message is ambiguous, and your mind fills in what it wants the message to be. Example:Things go better with Coke.
YippiKiAyMofo almost 5 years ago
Worth getting angry about!
dsatvoinde Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Reminds me of one day when I went to the in-laws house to pick up a twin bed they were giving to one of our daughters. At the time, they were hosting a foreign exchange student from Germany. I needed help carrying the bed out to the truck, so I asked the student to give me a hand. She paused for a minute and then said, “You want me to give you my hand?” That’s the point I realized that slangs do not translate in all languages.
Reader almost 5 years ago
He forced an answer from him, after all.
elbow macaroni almost 5 years ago
So unfunny
Mentor397 almost 5 years ago
I wish I only paid a hundred dollars a month for cable. Our company just responded to the growing threat of streaming services by raising our bill.
OshkoshJohn almost 5 years ago
We cut the cable here. We have three cellphones, one for each of us, and a cellphone that acquired our old landline number. The telephones are all TracFones, costing $12.50/month.
We dropped the landline and cable teevee, and kept only the Internet. Our bill from Spectrum (formerly Time-Warner) is $73/month. We added Netflix, Hulu+, and Amazon Prime, via streaming with a ROKU device. There was an initial saving of $60/month.
That savings is slowing going away as prices for the additional services for streaming increases. However, we have have thousands of shows and movies such that we cannot possibly watch everything. I particularly favor the PLUTO channel on the ROKU.
Snoots almost 5 years ago
Not only does cable TV turn your mind to mush… they actually have people paying for the privilege. That’s marketing for ya.
Imagine what people might accomplish if they had to spend their spare time being productive, or enjoying family time, become artists or musicians or weavers or take up other interesting hobbies. Gasp… society might… mature!
No no… let’s get serious now… heh heh. I’m such a joker.
Cameron1988 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Wait, Pig, pays the bills???
mapleman almost 5 years ago
Old joke but still a good one.
Ellis97 almost 5 years ago
I never thought I’d see the day.
WCraft Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I’m guessing Rat should stop running up big Pay-per-view charges!
Aladar30 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
GO PIG! HARDER!!!
jessie d. almost 5 years ago
After looking at and paying said bill, you sure feel like you have been beaten up. Why can’t cable wise up and dump those egregious contracts and many who left for streaming and no long term commitments might return? But no they are still doing their “thing” which surely isn’t profitable now.
mattro65 almost 5 years ago
I would think the fact that they pay that much for mindless dreck would be enough to floor him
Herb L 1954 almost 5 years ago
Care for some salt to go with your battery,Rat ;)
Thehag almost 5 years ago
Way to go Pig!
marilynnbyerly almost 5 years ago
And that’s why writers spend so much time revising.
zeexenon almost 5 years ago
Very true, but if you’re trained by, say, the patented AT&T Human Resource Assessment Evaluation job, you are instilled with the joy of simple language taking the other person just to the point of stroke. And, I do not apologize to my Financial Advisor.
the lost wizard almost 5 years ago
Well screw me.
Mr. Snuffles' Accomplice Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Pig must have been just like me last night, watching “The Irishman”
David Peters almost 5 years ago
Inflection in spoken English?
Pointspread almost 5 years ago
That’s funny!
oakie817 almost 5 years ago
ka-literal
Sisyphos almost 5 years ago
Pig gives it to Rat roughly?! The world turned upside down!
hdcanterbelle Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I never saw pig be violent before….or am I mistaken?
Bicycle Dude almost 5 years ago
Someone is paying too much for cable. Better yet, paying for cable.
chriscc63 almost 5 years ago
or Betty White
Motormaniac almost 5 years ago
Just thinking of that myself during this morning’s commute. Who decided that ‘raised’ and ‘razed’ should sound the same, but with completely opposite meanings?