What is ADS-L?

[A. Maberry]

I agree with Matthew's comments. I'm not a professional linguist by any
means but I get a lot of enjoyment and edificaton from reading the list
and hope my contributions aren't too far off the mark. The list benefits
from being open and as such, I'm willing to put up with some off-topic
material and even a few minor tirades. It seems like a small price to pay
for the variety and wealth of information available. This is basically the
same discussion we had several years ago, and then decided to leave the
list open. I think we made the right decision then and that it would be
wrong to abandon that decision now.

allen
maberry at u.washington.edu


On Wed, 14 Aug 2002, Matthew Gordon wrote:

> Jesse Sheidlower wrote:
>
> > Perhaps you misunderstand the purpose for this list, which is intended
> > for academic professionals and other serious linguists to discuss matters
> > of relevance to the English language in America. It is not supposed to be
> > a place where anyone can wander in and have any random comment addressed
> > at length by experts, regardless of merit.
>
> I disagree somewhat with Jesse's characterization of ADS-L. While I certainly do
> find it a valuable forum for discussing scholarly issues with fellow
> professional/'serious' linguists, I think that amateur linguists and
> non-linguists can also play a valuable role. There have been numerous questions
> of usage (e.g., do you say 'pantsing' or 'depantsing'?) to which nonlinguists on
> the list have offered useful responses. They also provide lots of data for
> people interested in Prestonian perceptual dialectology [ I wrote that mainly to
> impress DInIs].
>
> By the same token, I think we professionals can provide a service to amateurs. I
> recall several inquiries from teachers and others seeking solid information on
> American English or linguistics in general. Wouldn't we rather they get it here
> than from the popular press or other sources they're likely to consult? Anyway,
> many posts from nonlinguists have prompted interesting discussions.
>
> So, this academic professional votes that ADS-L SHOULD be a place where anyone
> can wander in and post comments or questions about English or language.  I think
> the key point in Jesse's post is that we are not obligated to address at length
> those comments that we feel don't merit serious consideration.
>