On Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:33:41 -0700, Darren New wrote:

> On 4/25/2011 16:44, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:38:03 -0700, Darren New wrote:
>>
>>> Jim seems to think I
>>> cannot believe something to be true of which I am certain. I would
>>> find it very confusing if someone at Fred's funeral said "I can't
>>> believe Fred is dead" and meant it literally.
>>
>> Well, I'm talking about a literal sense, not a figurative sense of the
>> word.  "I can't believe Fred is dead" is a figurative use of the word
>> 'belief', or a type of denial (take your pick).
> 
> Right. That's what I'm saying. I can't believe anyone at the funeral
> would say "I can't believe Fred is dead *because* he's laying here right
> in front of me, not breathing!"

Well, I'm talking about the use of it in a literal sense (rather than a 
figurative sense). :)

Jim

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