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It goes like this
"Next Saturday"
"You mean this Saturday? Or next Saturday?"
"Next Saturday"
"Okay"
Because English is not an efficient tool for communication.
Absolutely this. Because it is never clear which is meant without being qualified, you have to do this every time unless you specify. I would just say Saturday the 4th to save the exchange.
Not efficent but certainly effective.
Definitely versatile
Thinking about it. Couldn't it be argued that its actually quite efficient?
You have lots of words that have multiple meanings and the difference is i the context, the tone, and the words used in conjunction with them. For example.
Fuck.
It can be an insult, a proposition, an exclaimation of pain, a state of repair etc. And all these things and the rest can be expressed with that one word.
Theres more just like it but just as an example.
Why say many words when few work? Or whatever the Office quote is.
It would be efficient if (when) the meaning was adequately conveyed. If the usage necessitates a back-and-forth then that is inefficient.
I dont understand. My example is perfectly described by your point. One word that has many uses where context implies meaning.