e-prime - View Single Post - Top Ten Arguments Against E-Prime

Bai · 03-17-2006, 10:27 PM

For a better, simpler response to #2 "she is a student", just say "she studies" or "she studies at university."

I argue that E-Prime helps people conceptualise life as a continual process rather than a series of objects. Nothing truly remains constant; the state of things fluctuate over time.

Thus, I don't believe in say, "intelligent" or "ignorant" people by ascribing that quality as an eternal, inert state. You either pursue intelligence or ignorance through conscious or subconscious means. In other words, you either go up or down across time; you never remain as one "thing". For example, you play the piano better through practise or you play it worse through lack of it...you cannot say, at any point, "I am a pianist".

Hmm, but doesn't this create problems when describing qualities like "human". Instead of:

I am a human being.

You would say:

I seem/call myself human(?)

I find this confusing!

03-17-2006, 10:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bai Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1	For a better, simpler response to #2 "she is a student", just say "she studies" or "she studies at university." I argue that E-Prime helps people conceptualise life as a continual process rather than a series of objects. Nothing truly remains constant; the state of things fluctuate over time. Thus, I don't believe in say, "intelligent" or "ignorant" people by ascribing that quality as an eternal, inert state. You either pursue intelligence or ignorance through conscious or subconscious means. In other words, you either go up or down across time; you never remain as one "thing". For example, you play the piano better through practise or you play it worse through lack of it...you cannot say, at any point, "I am a pianist". Hmm, but doesn't this create problems when describing qualities like "human". Instead of: I am a human being. You would say: I seem/call myself human(?) I find this confusing!