The m-word

[William Salmon]

I have heard it used offensively with the diminutive suffix.

WS

Quoting Doug Harris <cats22 at FRONTIERNET.NET>:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Doug Harris <cats22 at FRONTIERNET.NET>
> Subject:      Re: The m-word
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>
> I would imagine that _could_ be interpreted as offensive
> in certain contexts, but not in just any old context. But
> I'd think the 'offender' would pretty much have to be _trying_
> to so offend.
> Perhaps someone needs a desensitization or imagination-dulling
> course.
> (the other) doug
>
>> A student in my Shakespeare class announced that the=
> word "moist" (which I had uttered to describe Egypt in _Antony & Cleopatra=
> _) is offensive to women. Some of the other women in the class concurred (n=
> ot hostilely--just as a matter of information for a clueless male professor=
> ). I was somewhat flabergasted, and nobody would articulate a reason for th=
> e offensiveness--except for one male student's eventual suggestion that the=
> word reminds women of sexual arousal. That association is not at all besid=
> e-the-point of my description of Egypt in the play--but why would such a co=
> nnotation make the word offensive per se? As far as I could ascertain, "dam=
> p" and "wet" don't carry whatever stigma attaches to "moist." What am I mis=
> sing here?!> > --Charlie> _________________________________________________=
>
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~Will Salmon

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