positionality = "social status or position"

[Beverly Flanigan]

Sure.  Why use a three-syllable word when you can use a six-syllable one?

At 01:54 PM 8/28/2007, you wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>Subject:      positionality = "social status or position"
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Dr. James Peterson of Bucknell appeared on Fox's  _Live Desk_  in a
>discussion of the Michael Vick case.  He suggested that in regard to
>inner-city youngsters who have become successful professional athletes,
>many people resent their "positionality in our culture."
>
>   An admittedly cursory examination of the 60,000 "positionality"
> Googlits reveals that it means something like "social status or position
> as determined by a combination of inherent and socially attributed
> characteristics."
>
>   In other words, notably in the present case, "social status or position."
>
>   JL
>
>
>---------------------------------
>Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo!
>FareChase.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org