Slow and not too bright

[Peter Richardson]

I've tried a similar experiment for some years here, but with virtually no
success. A class decides to resurrect one word, e.g. pismire, for
introduction into campus-speak. The students agree to drop it casually in
various conversations, never calling overt attention to it ("Hey--did you
guys hear the neat new word??"). By the end of the term we see how it's
gone. And it's always been a grand failure. I'll be happy to receive
advice about how to do this less unsuccessfully, perhaps from Page.

Peter Richardson

>
> Do they understand what you are trying to say or do they transform them into
> words, phrases, etc. which make sense to them.
>
> This is a simple experiment which everyone on this list can do if they want
> to in their spare time.
>
> I do not know in advance what the results of your experiments will be and I
> haven't even begun to develop a protocol for such an experiment.
>
> Anyone out there have any better way of beginning such an investigation?
>
> Page "Always the old empiricist" Stephens
>