LSSU Word Banishment

[Laurence Horn]

At 11:47 AM -0500 12/11/03, Baker, John wrote:
>         The strategy doesn't seem to be very effective, if they had
>to outlaw live audience three times.  Could it be that that's
>because live audience is a useful phrase after all, distinguishing a
>live audience from a televised audience?  Forced relaxation and
>minor emergency clinic are also useful terms, and I rather like my
>bad.
>
>         In other words, I am not entirely sympathetic with the
>LSSU's list.  It may be an effective public relations strategy for
>them, though.
>
>John Baker
>
I'm wondering what mortal sin was committed by "peel-and-eat shrimp".
I think I know what they are, as well as what they aren't (shrimp
that are already peeled or shelled before they are served), and I'm
not sure how else they would be singled out more efficiently and
elegantly (shrimp with shells still on?  shrimp that need to be
peeled?).  Maybe it's a question of whether you call those plasticky
coverings "shells" rather than "peels", which is fine, except
"shell-and-eat shrimp" sounds odd to me, possibly for phonological
reasons.  (I shell clams, I shell mussels, but I peel rather than
shell shrimp.)  Or maybe it's just overuse, at least around Lake
Superior.

Larry