[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/23/AR2007062301369_pf.html] <br>  <p>Via <a mce_href="http://www.michaelerard.com/2007/06/my_expertise_with_2_letter_wor.html" href="http://www.michaelerard.com/2007/06/my_expertise_with_2_letter_wor.html">Michael Erard's blog</a>:</p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/23/AR2007062301369_pf.html" mce_href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/23/AR2007062301369_pf.html">Two Little Letters, Addressed to Everyone, That Speak Volumes - washingtonpost.com</a></p> One thing I like about this piece is that, despite some quotes with negative connotations, it doesn't seem to be the typical prescriptivist normative language snobbery of the "kids these days don't know how to speak proper" type. Because it describes the <i>usefulness</i> of such a common word, it's much closer to what linguistic anthropology's passion with use of language in everyday life.<br /><br />Also, for non-native speakers of English (or for ESL teachers), this piece could serve as a useful reminder that, despite the pervasiveness of disambiguation in Anglo-centric language ideology, English has this type of evocative power which is so cherished by speakers of other languages like Farsi or French. <br><br>--<br>  Posted By  Alexandre  to  <a href="http://linganth.blogspot.com/2007/06/so-be-it.html"> Linguistic Anthropology </a>  at  6/25/2007 03:07:00 PM