What does "the broom is in the corner" mean?

Question

"Is this really a statement about the broomstick and the brush?"


Please don't ridicule me.
A GREAT philosopher asked this question.
I really want to know what YOU think.

and if you would like, tell me what you think is the further meaning of:
"What does "the broom is in the corner" mean?"

Answer 1

Hi ..Well, if the broom is there, that surely means that the stick and brush must be there, and in a particular relation to one another; and this was as it were hidden in the sense of the first sentence, and is expressed in the analysed sentence. ...

If we were to ask anyone if he meant this he would probably say: that he had not thought specially of the broomstick ..or specially of the brush at all... And that would be the right answer, for he meant to speak neither of the stick nor of the brush in particular... Suppose that, instead of saying "Bring me the broom", you said "Bring me the broomstick and the brush which is fitted on to it."!-Isn't the answer: "Do you want the broom? Why do you put it so oddly?" Is he going to understand the further analysed sentence better? The point is that the speaker who had asked for the broom was asking for the gestalt whole, not the parts even if they were attached to each other.... You don't see a person's face by noticing the constellation of features. The whole is more than the sum of its individual parts...
Is he going to understand the further analysed sentence better?-This sentence, one might
say, achieves the same as the ordinary one, but in a more roundabout way. ..

>>i think their is .. Well, it could at any rate be replaced by a statement giving the position of the stick.. and the position of the brush. And this statement is surely a further analysed form of the first one. ..
Kind regards!:) ..

Answer 2

I'd want to know in which context you are using it before I could answer. I chuckled greatly at some of the answers, not to ridicule them but at their Laputian variety.

The question, per se, asks for the evaluation of a statement. Does one need to assume the definitions of 'broom' and 'corner' first or are they required to be defined? I think a fair attempt at that has already been done, so I will go with the assumption that we already understand 'broom' and 'corner' in context.

It could mean simply "If you want a job done, do it yourself!". It could also be saying "You are an unwelcome guest" but one doesn't usually point out the fact that the broom is behind the door in that usage. (By the way, I understood it to matter which way up the besom was: brush down being normal - no effect, brush up, the power is active - unwelcome guests will leave.)
Another connotation might be, "All the sweeping has been done, the broom has finished its work [for the time being]."

As for it being a statement about the broomstick and the brush, it seems to me only to be so in relation to one definition of a broom as consisting of those two parts. That is the definition which most people would automatically assume, though 'broom' as the plant could be another interpretation - broom waiting to be made into a cleansing tool? Perhaps too far fetched!

Answer 3

When it's a beautiful, sunny day, and I look up at the sky, smiling and squinting into the sun, I might say, "What a gorgeous day for the sun to be out. The sun is glowing marvelously in the sky." In actuality, the sun is not 'in' the sky. That would destroy all life on earth. In fact, the sun is approximately 93 million miles away from the earth.

The meaning of this question is location, and identity.

If I do not know what broom you are talking about, how should I find it? What if there were two brooms in the corner? This broom needs to be exemplified. To state the location of the broom would not be enough information, in fact, I may even argue that the broom does not exist, and demand that you prove it.

The corner is an open space with three sides determining its dimensions, the other three sides, are missing, which would've made it a cube, capable of containing something 'in' it. Then you would be able to exemplify that cube, by giving it a name to distinct its unique characteristics, such as the yellow broom with splinters is in the blue box that is covered with sparkles and stars.

The statement, "The broom is in the corner" does not relate to the broom, rather, the position of a 'thing'. You could say the broom is in the corner, but it wouldn't really matter where it was, because I could not identify the location of the broom until you gesture towards it. I need to know where the corner is, before I could know where the broom in which you speak is.

The further meaning of your question would be to identify the corner. I would need more details, exemplifying the corner in which you speak. If you were my roommate, and I called you at work, explaining that I made a spill in the kitchen, and asked you, "Where is the broom?". To which you reply, "The broom is in the corner.", I may look all over our three story mansion, where we live, for every corner and cranny that may contain a broom. All the while, you're sitting in your office at work, snickering to yourself, while staring at a toilet brush, which is in the corner of your office, on the north side of the window.

A toilet brush contains a stick and a brush, but that does not make it a broom. There is a corner in my birdhouse, outside, but I doubt you could fit a broom in it.

Answer 4

I think it is a statement about the broomstick and the brush.

One is saying, "What I observe in the corner is quite similar in every respect to things that in my experience have always been identified as 'brooms.' This item is located where the surface of two walls come together. In my experience, this has always been identified by the term 'corner.' So I shall say, 'The broom is in the corner.'"

Language contains terms for specific, concrete, mundane ideas, but also can encompass abstract concepts such as "Truth, Honor, Reality, etc."

Sometimes a broom in a corner is simply a brush and a stick at the junction of two walls.

If you want to wax philosophical, one could speculate that "the broom is in the corner" embodies the concept that the tools that one needs to accomplish ones goals or ambitions are at hand, and now one may choose to accept the responsibility to use the tools to accomplish these ends, or not.

A Zen philosopher would smack one in the head, and say "Sweep the floor!"

Here is a Zen concept for you, "Upon entering into instruction, the mountains were merely mountains. When partially instructed, the mountains were no longer mountains. Upon enlightenment, the mountains were again merely mountains." (I am paraphrasing, as I do not recall the text verbatim.)

Sometimes brooms in corners are simply brooms in corners. :-))

Answer 5

Old Spanish folktale has it, you place a broomstick upside down in the corner to quickly get rid of your guests. I have tried it, and it has worked on many occasions.

American Hoodoo folktale has it you place the broom in the corner to keep away bad spirits, hence you clean or sweep the four corners of your home, after you suspect someone has put roots on you; given you the evil eye; cast a spell, etc.

And finally, an old broom can knows every corner.

Answer 6

CAUTION: SERIOUS ANSWER!!!!!
I think everyone uses the broom whenever they want to and then they just leave it in the darkest place they can find. It's sad, if you think about it. You use it to clean up your mess, confine it to the most secret place you can conceive and when it's no good anymore, you dispose of it.
What does it do, though? Nothing. Not because it's mentally strong, but because it has no ego to plot a revenge.
It once was living, though, and even if it seemed to you that it was laying there for you to cut, carve into a broom, or buy and use and then dispose, well, no one will tell you otherwise... but you should know better.
I think I'm going to start taking my broom out for walks, even if it doesn't feel anything. Thanks for this enlightening!
(I'm kissing your *** (I wish) to get 10 points for best answer :D)

Answer 7

It isn't about the broomstick and the brush its about the broom itself in the corner

Answer 8

It means get to work cleaning the house. The house that I'm talking about is your personal life. If you buzy-body someone and they tell you that the broom is in the corner, they are telling you to but out of their business until you have cleaned up your act.

Answer 9

If you ask someone to do something for you and they say "the broom is in the corner", it means get up and do it yourself.

Answer 10

i really don't know what it means
but i would like to let you know what i think what i means

either... the task has not be done

or the tool is over there, you can go get it and sweep the floor yourself

or implying that something has not been touch ... the broom is in the usual spot