----- Original Message ----- From: "David Dyer-Bennet" <dd-b at dd-b.net> To: <dragaera at dragaera.info> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 2:29 PM Subject: Re: OT: Subjectivity vs. Objectivity (was: bois...) > Chris Olson - SunPS <Chrisf.Olson at Sun.COM> writes: > > > > We say, "I'm involved in a relationship with Susan." What does > > > "relationship" mean in that context? Do you know? Can you define it? > > > > In regards to this, would qualifying it be better? > > > > If one was to say "I have a purely sexual, open and honest > > relationship with Susan", would that be a more accurate use > > of the word? I'm actualy really curious about this one, as > > the word is used constantly, and I've always had trouble with > > it... > > "Relationship" is a case of deliberate vagueness, and as such is very > useful. Most people neither need *nor want* to know "Susan and I > screw like minks on every flat surface at every opportunity". I think > this vague use of "relationship" is generally understood to mean > "ongoing emotional/sexual entanglement". A one-night stand is not a > relationship. There's certainly a case to be made for deliberate vagueness, even when the result is misleading.