che/z

[Dennis R. Preston]

Half linguist is right. New words come into languages from just suich
dumasses as us that don't really understand them in their original tongues,
and many pore-ole lower-middle class speakers like to advance their
statgus. I stick by my guns. I always shudder when really smart folks find
others linguistic behaviors reprehensible, and your obvious intelligence
makes me shudder all the more.

dInIs (also I guess calling them like he sees them)

>dInIs challenges me thus:
>
>>>>
>Ugh? Some language practices make you go ugh? I'll be damned! Could be them
>poor ole ignernt sombitches make you go ugh, huh?
><<<
>
>You betcher bippy, brother. I'm half linguist, half stylist. I report 'em as I
>see 'em, but I correct 'em when I want to.
>
>Now, I ain't talkin' about accents or di'lects, by an' large. But when people
>is
>takin' words of another language an' screwin' 'em up to make 'emselves look
>fancy... I shudder. Outta common politeness I try ta keep my shudderin' to
>myself, or just express it amongst folks I *THOUGHT* might feel summat similar:
>not ta the folks whose usage I'm shudderin' AT.
>
>     Mark
> his   X   mark
>    Mandel

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