On 06 Jun 06  11:50:59, Nancy Backus got back to Danny Ceppa 
-> Re: bridge was: feeds

 DC> Well, the language doesn't take long to learn! 
 DC> You can say only:  
 DC> The numbers 1 through 7 


 NB> Seems to me that you are confusing "vocabulary" with "language".  :) 
 NB> Language is the use of vocabulary in a meaningful way, that is, a way
 NB> that conveys meaning to those who know the language...

It's still very basic!  

 NB> To learn the language would require not only learning the vocabulary
 NB> (with which I am* familiar, from reading about the game for years),
 NB> but also would require knowing enough of the game to know how to use
 NB> said vocabulary.

Some conventions do complicate things.  But, they don't come 
into play all that often.  

 DC> Explicatives directed at opponents often occurs.  
 DC> The same directed at partner generally means you'll 
 DC> need to find a new partner!  

 NB> Ah, yes... and besides knowing the language, being able to then play
 NB> the cards dealt one in such a way as to incur the ire of one's
 NB> opponents only, and not that of one's partner...  

I like a friendly game with a bit of "table talk" allowable 
between declarer and dummy.  It gets a bit dicier when the 
defenders do that too much.  

The difference is that the declare/dummy see both of their 
hands.  And, so do the defenders, at least for dummy's and 
their own.  Table talk gives them the advantage of "seeing" 
3 hands.  
  



--- OMX/Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
 * Origin: Soundly on the Fault Line (1:138/666.0)