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Iclearwater Posted 8 years ago
Vocabulary

Knock-down argument

Hello,

Q1: What does 'knock-down argument"? Does it mean HD shows his one-upmanship over Alice during his argument?

Q2: What does DH mean in blue as below?

I am not reading Alice in Wonderland, but it is cited from another book-Pragmatics of Human Communition I am reading. And I don't know much story about Alice.

Thanks!


"I don't know what you mean by 'glory,'" Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't-till I tell you. I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!' ..
"But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument,'" Alice objected.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean-neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master-~that's all." (Last italics ours)

  

Top answer

iclearwater Q1: What does 'knock-down argument"? Does it mean HD shows his one-upmanship over Alice during his argument? No, it is just Humpty's definition of 'glory'.

— Mister Micawber

  • iclearwater Q1: What does 'knock-down argument"?
  • Does it mean HD shows his one-upmanship over Alice during his argument?
  • No, it is just Humpty's definition of 'glory'.
  • iclearwater Q2: What does DH mean in blue That words can mean whatever he chooses them to mean.
  • iclearwater And I don't know much story about Alice.
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1 Answers
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iclearwaterQ1: What does 'knock-down argument"? Does it mean HD shows his one-upmanship over Alice during his argument?

No, it is just Humpty's definition of 'glory'.

iclearwaterQ2: What does DH mean in blue

That words can mean whatever he chooses them to mean.

iclearwaterAnd I don't kno
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