Which meaning, IYO?

[Roro]

Oh, it was you, M56, who brought up the concept co-text (in another thread, though).
I'm trying to make up some background from 'our case,' 'these annoying detractors' and 'miraculous healings.'

Thanks a lot for the note !

[M56]

Oh, it was you, M56, who brought up the concept co-text (in another thread, though).
I'm trying to make up some background from 'our case,' 'these annoying detractors' and 'miraculous healings.'

Thanks a lot for the note !

Good, and remember, there's no text without cotext.

[Roro]

..remember, there's no text without cotext.

Yes, I agree with you. But as you said,

[1] There are dossiers that detail well-authenticated cases of what are termed miraculous healings.
[2] There are the dossiers that detail well-authenticated cases of what are termed miraculous healings.
.................................................. ..................
The first is fine and can stand alone.
The second needs cotext and context for it to be easily understood.

[M56]

[/color]
Yes, I agree with you. But as you said,

Yes, and I still do say that. The cotext in the first is within the sentence.

[Roro]

Hello M56
Yes, I won't disagree! And I guess, according to you and tdol's explanations, the first one is more suitable to introduce some (non-specified) object /new category into conversation.

[edinohio]

For me too, Ed. Thanks.

How about here? Meaning one, or meaning two?

"The archives of the medical department of Lourdes are filled with dossiers, which detail well-authenticated cases of what are termed miraculous healings."

Coming back to our original discussion, I think that even here I'd go with meaning numer one. However, I think here, previous knowdlege plays an important role. The sentence to me it's a little bit more ambiguous but since meaning number two is the least probable one, common sense will make you chose meaning one. In order to express meaning #2 you'd have to be really specific: "The archives of the medical department of Lourdes are filled with dossiers, which are documents that detail well-authenticated cases of what are termed miraculous healings."

Cheers
Ed

[M56]

Coming back to our original discussion, I think that even here I'd go with meaning numer one. However, I think here, previous knowdlege plays an important role. The sentence to me it's a little bit more ambiguous but since meaning number two is the least probable one, common sense will make you chose meaning one. In order to express meaning #2 you'd have to be really specific: "The archives of the medical department of Lourdes are filled with dossiers, which are documents that detail well-authenticated cases of what are termed miraculous healings."

Cheers
Ed

Yes, Ed, PK (prior knowledge) plays a large part in being able to interpret texts in the way the writer intended. Many teachers assume too much when they set exercises that ask the student to define meaning only by using the text in front of them - no dictionaries allowed, etc. Teachers need to be aware that PK may not be available to a student at a certain time.