ADS Website Link to Vocabula Review

[Dennis R. Preston]

>Matt,

You are too kind; I got dumped on earlier for calling this guy a
crackput, but, as the North Korea - language connection shows, the
crackpotism gets worse and worse. The truth is, although I tried to
excuse some of this nonsense as simply unscientific, that I have not
encountered this sort of silliness at all among the ordinary folk I
usually investigate in the folk linguistic enterprise. The
person-on-the-street (regardless of educational background) is
wrapped a lot tighter (as they say up here in Michigan) than Mr. Fiske

dInIs


>I agree that the tone of some of the messages (my own included) hasn't
>been conducive to thoughtful discussion. But, it's unfair to charge that
>the ADS is intolerant of free-thinking or even of prescriptivism. Many
>of us have tried to raise specific objections to the prescriptivists'
>views of how language works and these linguistic issues have not been
>addressed. If you want us to understand the connection between
>linguistic usage and invasion of the US by North Koreans, you have to
>engage in the linguistic questions at some point. Or even just flesh out
>your argument some. I honestly would like to understand how someone
>could make this kind of connection. It obviously indicates a way of
>thinking about language that is very different from mine. Maybe postings
>to a listserve isn't the best medium for defending your views, but
>telling us we'll find out more by subscribing to your publication isn't
>going to result in many of us appreciating your point of view.
>
>Robert Hartwell Fiske wrote:
>
>>ADS, it must now be now clear, does not tolerate
>>free-thinking any more than it does a prescriptivist approach.
>>
>>Therefore, for a more balanced, egalitarian view of the English language
>>today, I do invite you all to subscribe to The Vocabula Review:
>>http://www.vocabula.com/VRsubscribe.htm. Though the cost is $8.95 a
>>year, if you are a student,
>>self-employed, on a fixed income, or live outside the United States
>>and cannot
>>afford $8.95, pay $5.95.
>>
>>
>>Robert Hartwell Fiske
>>Editor and Publisher
>>The Vocabula Review
>>www.vocabula.com
>>______________________
>>
>>The Vocabula Review
>>A measly $8.95 a year
>>www.vocabula.com
>>______________________
>>
>>The Vocabula Review
>>10 Grant Place
>>Lexington, MA 02420
>>United States
>>Tel: (781) 861-1515

--
Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
      Asian & African Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
e-mail: preston at msu.edu
phone: (517) 353-9290