Ms. [off topic]

[Joanne M. Despres]

It aroused no such suspicions in me!  I belong to AOL, and my
screen name bears no resemblance to my real name, for a good
reason:  you tend to get a lot of unwanted instant messages and e-
mail if you give away too much information about yourself (like your
gender, for instance).  As for this list, it seems to me that knowing
a person's name is not at all necessary to participating.  For me, a
person's right to privacy trumps any courtesy issues unless you
know everybody outside the list (which I assume is not the case).

Joanne

On 1 Jul 2004, at 19:39, LJT777 at AOL.COM wrote:

> I am the infamous "anonymous e-mailer" who proffered an observation about
> whether Ms. was an abbreviation and required a period.  It was careless of me not
> to sign my email, but I must say I am astonished that my failure to do so
> aroused such suspicions of ill intent.  Although a member of the ADS listserv for
> years, I am unknown to members by name...which, by the way, is Lindsie
> Tucker.  I'm sorry for having troubled anyone; it was never my intention, you may be
> sure.
>
> Lindsie Jordan Tucker


Joanne M. Despres, Senior Editor
Merriam-Webster, Inc.
jdespres at merriam-webster.com
http://www.merriam-webster.com