words

[Bethany K. Dumas]

I am still thinking of offering a special topics course soon - Xtreme
Talk. As I said earlier, I'd like to call it Trash Talk, but don't think I
will get approval for that - it would attract students, even though I
would not limit content to trash talk, narrowly defined.

I want to focus on the various functions of what one might call Xtreme
talk - like Frank A., I think the speaker's intent and role identity play
a huge part in the meaninng of the message. Has ayone else taught such a
course?

In my classrooms, no words are off limits, though I use and recommend
discretion depending on the situation.

I thought the "Italians" response was very funny, very appropriate, very
witty. It played on the vagueness inherent in the word "entities"
(deliberately selected to avoid any hint of the term I was looking
for in my question) and broadened the scope of my question. It also
acknowleged a certain social reality in some contexts.

It certainly did not state or - in my reading - even imply that Italians
are primarily furniture-movers, though it suggested that in some contexts,
the people most ikely to be available to be furniture movers may be
Italian.

(In Italy, for instance.)

And if any of you skinny guys have trouble moving heavy objects, let me
know. I have learned to use dollies and appliance dollies like you won't
believe - I can tell you how to do it!

Bethany