A defense which should be unnecessary

[Russ McClay]

I wholehearted agree with Dr. Cohen (and this is worthy of a repeat):

Gerald Cohen wrote:

>         I am writing once more in defense of Barry Popik, who is one of the
> most remarkable scholars doing research on the origin of Americanisms.  His
> work on such items as  "The Big Apple," "dude," the "Show-me" expression,
> "hot dog," "yegg," and  "blizzard" have been received very favorably by the
> scholarly community.
>
>      His scholarly output has all come in the past ten years,  accomplished
> in his spare time.  It is an extraordinary record, and I have no idea how
> he has managed to familarize himself so well with the research materials
> of our field.   Except for newspaper  librarians, there is  probably no one
> in the country as familiar with old newspapers and periodicals as he is.
>
>       This defense should really not be necessary.  But  in light of the
> unfortunate public airing of a private message expressing satisfaction with
> once temporarily silencing  Mr. Popik , I find it necessary to speak  up.
> Mr. Popik has somehow come  to direct his enormous energy and talents to
> the field of etymology, and this field of ours  has  thereby been  greatly
> enriched.

Russ McClay
Taipei, Taiwan
(since 1987!)