pardon this, codger!

[Dennis R. Preston]

Jim,

I think this message says the following:

1) You can't tell what words people don't know by observing the ones they do.

2) People who cuss aren't necessarily angry.

3) Even people who cuss when they are angry are not being deliberately
offensive.

4) Angry people are angry.

I agree with all that.



that angry people are angry. I agree.

dInIs

>--- "Dennis R. Preston" <preston at PILOT.MSU.EDU> wrote:
>> Jim,
>>
>> My point is, as others have noted, how do you know
>> about this inability.
>> When I cuss I don't wear no sign that says "Don't
>> know no other words."
>
>I understand your point about not truely knowing
>whether they are "able" or "unable".
>
>Going back to the original question;  << Would you
>characterize those who are seemingly unable to express
>themselves without obscenities as either deliberately
>offensive or merely suffering from an exteme paucity
>of vocabulary? >>, I'm saying these two are not the
>only options, and my suggestion of anger is not meant
>to close the set of alternatives.
>
>I don't think angry people who are seemingly unable to
>express themselves without obscenities are being
>deliberatly offensive, nor do I think they just don't
>know no other words.  I think they're angry.
>
>Jim SMITH
>
>=====
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com

Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
preston at pilot.msu.edu
Office: (517)353-0740
Fax: (517)432-2736