"ese" suffix insulting/racist?

[David Colburn]

Isn't "piemontese" just taken straight from the Italian?

----- Original Message -----
From: <RonButters at AOL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2003 3:02 PM
Subject: Re: "ese" suffix insulting/racist?


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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       RonButters at AOL.COM
> Subject:      Re: "ese" suffix insulting/racist?
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>
> Did anyone mention the fact that Milton used the term "Piemontese" in a
> sonnet (1655) that decries the massacre of some Italian protestants by
> "bloody Piemontese, that roll'd / Mother with infant down the rocks."
>
> Clearly, Milton didn't think much of these folks whom he -esed. Don't
know,
> though, if he'd have written "Piemonters" if he'd liked them.
>