Sunday, January 08, 2017

Speak of the Devil . . .


. . . sounds imperatival, but whom are we imperativing? The second person . . . or the third? Or possibly myself alone?

Yeah, I know that the statement is ostensibly descriptive, not intentionally prescriptive. But it could be used prescriptively. Take the the entire formulation:
"Speak of the Devil (and he will appear)."
Suppose I  want the Devil to appear. I need merely speak of him, and there he is. Does that make his appearance prescribed?

Or is it his way of getting everyone to call upon him more easily?

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6 Comments:

At 4:56 AM, Blogger TheBigHenry said...

HJH,

What the devil are you on about? :)

 
At 9:30 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Do I have to demonstrate it for you?

Jeffery Hodges

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At 10:08 AM, Blogger TheBigHenry said...

Er, that won't be necessary ...

 
At 10:16 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Good. There'd be utter pandaemonium.

Jeffery Hodges

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At 6:46 PM, Blogger Bienvenido Bones said...

Wow! there's a possibility the Devil too much abusing the "Free Will" from God, and turning to the dangerous ways to the world crisis, the Devil appear on the spiritual war in our flesh tribulation, and it could be a physical activity. And today we are already in the pandaemonium through the paradise lost society. *Bones*

 
At 7:31 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

I suppose we'll find out.

Jeffery Hodges

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