Re: Words of the Year announcement

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 1/6/03 2:25:45 PM, AAllan at AOL.COM writes:


> I don't name names here, following the pattern for the rest of the
> announcement, but if naming the responsible parties seems important, I will
> happily do so.
>
> Thanks, Allan, for the suggested emendation. I really do think it is better
to tell the full story, and the explanation with respect to last year is both
responsible and clarifying. Even so, I don't see any reason to use names here
if you don't elsewhere.

My nomination of "grid butt" WAS serious, but it was not meant to denigrate
either the source of last year's Most Inspirational selection nor
(necessarily) the category itself: I really DO think that "grid butt" as an
advertising ploy represents the vitality and marvelous creativity of the
actual users of the language, and as a linguist I am always inspired by the
cleverness of native speakers in morphological innovation.