E-less Fiancé

[Dennis R. Preston]

We are all entitled to our opinions, and as long as those who express such
opinions about linguistic tastes understand that it makes them the studied
rather than the students, it's OK (especially with me, since that's one of
the goodies I like to study).

dInIs

PS: I might except "icks" with regard to "real" clarity (in whatever
variety or register), but I am suspicious of many of those (i.e., I expect
they most often relate to superficial prejudices against rather than real
cases of obfuscation or disorganization, as Bill Labov showed long ago in
the still must-read "Logic of Nonstandard English").


>As to the "ick" reflex, this is a matter of taste, of course, not
>incorrectness.  We've discussed the ubiquitous "suite=suit" on this list,
>I believe; such modifications are common, and if the usage spreads, it
>will eventually go into a dictionary.
>
> > True, of course - but hey, I'm entitled to opinions.  And we certainly
>don't want to (again?) tackle the N-word - nuclear.
> Rima