Law

The Linguist and The Law

16/04/2006

Bill Poser discusses today in Language Log a deep ontological question: Is a cow a motor vehicle? A court in Ohio ruled that it isn't, because it lacks wheels (this is based on the American Heritage Dictionary definition of motor vehicle, which requires wheels). A cow is indeed not a motor vehicle, says Bill, but not because it doesn't have wheel (aren't tanks motor vehicles, he wonders with reason), but because it doesn't have a motor.