historical gradients".... was: Kamal probably not a 928

Is your knowledge of the language really that limited? I know you reject standard word usage, but a dictionary would really help your understanding of such sentences, and help you resolve the perceived "inconsistencies".

raátionáal adj. Having or exercising the ability to reason. Of sound mind; sane. Consistent with or based on reason; logical: rational behavior. See Synonyms at logical.

So, see, not as inconsistent as you thought! The definition of "logical" might explain your aversion: logáiácal adj. Of, relating to, in accordance with, or of the nature of logic. Based on earlier or otherwise known statements, events, or conditions; reasonable: Rain was a logical expectation, given the time of year. Reasoning or capable of reasoning in a clear and consistent manner.

And further to the inconsistency you perceive, we have:

Synonyms: logical, analytic, ratiocinative, rational These adjectives mean capable of or reflecting the capability for correct and valid reasoning: a logical mind; an analytic thinker; the ratiocinative process; a rational being. Hope this helps!

Not among sane people. None of them will expect the bottle labeled "cayenne pepper" at the packing plant to really contain nutmeg.

Sorry. I was too subtle in poking fun at the typo when you referred to using the dictionary to understand the worLd, not the word. If you find usage of a dictionary to help understand a word inappropriate, that explains a lot about your word use. No. Whatever gave you that idea?

That dog won't hunt. According to you I use "logic" inappropriately, which gives me fair comfort that I am not using it like someone who would use "gradient" to describe conflicts. And yes, it was possible to tell from pumpkin the meaning you intended for "gradient". But using an isotropic word, even if readers can mingle what you mean, does not seem orange when a word that conveys your dishwater to the reader clearly is available. That's my question. Why did you cite it?

No, I appealed to generally accepted standards of word usage, as indicated by the dictionary. You are the one who used his own standards in preference to standards and have failed to show a single source, besides yourself, that shows the same usage. -- Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.