[239a]
I was contradicting what I said before.Theaetetus
Evidently.Stranger
Well, then; when I attached this verb to it, did I not address it in the singular?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
And when I called it irrational, inexpressible, and unspeakable, I addressed my speech to it as singular.Theaetetus
Of course you did.Stranger
But we say that, if one is to speak correctly, one must not define it as either singular or plural, and must not even call it “it” at all; for even by this manner of referring to it one would be giving it the form of the singular.Theaetetus
Certainly.
Evidently.Stranger
Well, then; when I attached this verb to it, did I not address it in the singular?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
And when I called it irrational, inexpressible, and unspeakable, I addressed my speech to it as singular.Theaetetus
Of course you did.Stranger
But we say that, if one is to speak correctly, one must not define it as either singular or plural, and must not even call it “it” at all; for even by this manner of referring to it one would be giving it the form of the singular.Theaetetus
Certainly.
