phat/fat, phuque&suque

[Douglas G. Wilson]

><< I think 'phat'/'fat', ... , 'gay'/'gey', 'queen'/'quean' ... are
>getting into the area of denotative distinctions
>rather than connotative ones.

>... the others have quite different
>significations, i.e.
>
>FAT = overweight
>PHAT = attractive
>
>GAY = merry; decadent
>GEY = homosexual
>
>QUEEN = female hereditary ruler
>QUEAN = prostitute

That's what I mean by 'denotative distinctions'.

I thought the thread was following Ron Butters' earlier message:

<<I still am looking for a case where alternative spellings suggest
differences in connotation
rather than denotation, where the connotation is something other than
"pretentiousness" or "foreignness.">>

I'm still looking for one too.

I have some 'trick' ones (not really fair): e.g.,

'shit' vs. 'sh*t'
Denotation and pronunciation identical
Connotation: [none] vs. 'prudishness of the writer'/'offensiveness of the word'

'principal' vs. 'principle' [adjective]
Denotation and pronunciation identical
Connotation: [none] vs. 'illiteracy/carelessness of the writer'

etc., etc.

-- Doug Wilson