Ameliorated words of offensive origin

[Victoria Neufeldt]

You're right, Jesse.  David Guralnik told me this story years ago.  He and
an editor had heard somebody say this (but with "doo-doo", not "doggy-doo")
while they were waiting for a light on a street corner in Cleveland a number
of years earlier.  He also told the story to Enid Pearsons.  See the
Dictionary Society of North America Newsletter, Spring 2000.

But it is so typical of a common attitude toward language in the present
time that I wouldn't be surprised to learn that many people had
independently heard something very similar.

Victoria Neufeldt
1533 Early Drive
Saskatoon, Sask.
S7H 3K1
Canada

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Jesse Sheidlower
> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 9:08 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Ameliorated words of offensive origin
>
>
> >         You'll enjoy this true-life story, told me by a
> colleague a couple
> > of years ago. She was crossing campus and overheard one female student
> > tell another, "Oh, shit! I just stepped in some doggy-doo."
>
> I've heard this exact same story attributed to David Guralnick!
>
> JTS
>