Consider what I take to be Malcolm's definition of a self-contradic-tory expression, namely "an expression which would never be used to describe any situation" (he does not actually say that this is a complete definition of "self-contradictory expression," but equally he does not say that it is not, and I strongly suspect that he intends it as such, as indeed his manner of expression suggests). Is it really satisfactory as it stands? Take the expression "I'm not copperbottoming

'em, ma'am, I'm aluminiuming 'em, ma'am." 1 doubt very much if this expression would ever be used to describe any situation; it is too difficult to enunciate, and certainly no one would think of using it as a written symbol with a descriptive use (l of course am not using it descriptively). It would no doubt be possible to fill in the gaps in

"The-

-archbishop fell down the

-stairs and bumped

-like

-" with such a combination of indecencies and blas-

phemies that no one would ever use such an expression. But in neither of these cases would we be tempted to describe the expressions as self-contradictory. Indeed, the number of possible reasons why an expression would in fact never be used might be, as far as 1 can see, in principle unlimited. Should we not then have to amend Malcolm's definition by adding a specification of the particular reason which would preclude the use of a self-contradictory expression? But if we did that should we not have to say "because to use it would be to say something self-contradictory"? But we are now defining "self-contradictory" in terms of itself.