49). Imagine a tribe in whose
language there is an expression corresponding to our “He
has done so-and-so” and another expression
corresponding to our “He can do so-and-so”,
this latter
42.
expression, however,
being only used where its use is justified by the same fact which would
also justify the former expression.
Now what can make me say this?
They have a form of communication which we should call narration of
past events because of the circumstances under which it is
employed.
¤
There are also circumstances under which we should ask and answer such
questions as “Can so-and-so do
this?”.
Such circumstances can be described, e.g., by
saying that a chief picks men suitable for a certain action, say crossing
a river, climbing a mountain, etc.
As the defining criteria of “the chief picking men suitable
for this action”, I will not take what he says but only the
other features of the situation.
The chief under these circumstances asks a question which, as far
as its practical consequences go, would have to be translated by our
“Can so-and-so swim across this
river?”
This question, however, is only answered affirmatively by those who
actually have swum across this river.
Th
is answer is not given in the same words in which under
the circumstances characterizing narration he would say that he has swum
across this river, but it is given in the terms of the question asked by
the chief.
On the other hand, this answer is not given in cases in which we should
certainly give the answer, “I can swim across this
river”, if, e.g., I had performed more
difficult feats of swimming though not just that of swimming across this
particular river.