Very... She left the word hanging. Very unfinished, thought Isabel. The woman finished her sentence. Very beautiful. Oh, really! thought Isabel. The verdict from others was much the same. Oh well, thought Isabel. Perhaps I'm not sufficiently used to the language he's using. Music is not an international language, she thought, no matter how frequently that claim is made; some words of the language may be the same, but not all, and one needs to know the rules to understand what is being said. Perhaps I just don't understand the conventions by which Nick Smart is communicating with his audience.
by Alexander McCall Smith
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Isabel reflects on a compliment she overhears, feeling that the word "very" was left insufficiently completed. The phrase "very beautiful" makes her question her understanding of the language used around her. Frustrated, she concludes that perhaps her struggle with understanding certain comments stems from her limited grasp of the nuances in language and communication conventions.

Isabel contemplates the idea that music, often deemed an international language, has limitations. She recognizes that while some musical expressions resonate across cultures, true comprehension requires deeper knowledge of the specific rules and contexts within which they are shared. This realization leaves her pondering her own perceptions and the intricacies of communication.

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January 23, 2025

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