X marrying Y <> Y marrying X?

Cohen, Gerald Leonard gcohen at UMR.EDU
Thu Sep 13 23:55:38 UTC 2007


The explanation I was once given is that it's inappropriate to spell out the entire word, since the piece of paper it's written on might later be thrown away or otherwise destroyed. And that would be disrespectful.
 
Gerald Cohen

________________________________

From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Charles Doyle
Sent: Thu 9/13/2007 7:03 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: X marrying Y <> Y marrying X?



<snip>

I still have an occasional Jewish student who will write the word "God" as "G-d."  As if "God" is really the unutterable and unwritabale NAME, when H- said H-s name is "- -m" . . .

--Charlie

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