The m-word

[Charles Doyle]

"moistine"?  "moistet"?  "moistkin"?


---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:44:48 -0400
>From: William Salmon <william.salmon at YALE.EDU>
>Subject: Re: The m-word
>
>I have heard it used offensively with the diminutive suffix.
>
>WS
>
>Quoting Doug Harris <cats22 at FRONTIERNET.NET>:
>>>
>> 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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