Extension of Tourette's

[Wilson Gray]

As far back as the early 'Seventies, I heard (post)graduate students
refer to braces as "curly brackets." At that tim,e, I feared for the
future of the English language. A great weight has been lifted from my
shoulders.

Thank you, Benjamin.

-Wilson

On Sat, Apr 5, 2008 at 7:43 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>  Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>  Subject:      Extension of Tourette's
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  In an interview of Chris Rock by Ed Condran in the Seattle Times (NW
>  Ticket & Movie Times, 4-10 April 2008), Rock uses the terms "a mild
>  form of Tourette's" and "comedic Tourette's".
>
>  -----
>  Q: You have a great way of saying anything. Where did you learn that?
>
>  A: I don't know. It's a mild form of Tourette's. I remember about a
>  year and a half ago. {sic} I went to a a Mets game. I was talking to
>  [Mets manager] Willie Randolph. The lineup is being made. I look at
>  the lineup. I see Moises Alou and Shawn Green. I say, 'What is this,
>  the '89 All-Star game?'
>
>  Q: What did Willie say?
>
>  A: He laughed. But it's comedic Tourette's. Sometimes it might be best
>  if I keep my mouth shut.
>  -----
>
>  I wonder if the connection between Rock's comment to Randolph and
>  Tourette's is that Rock is "bad mouthing."
>
>  The brackets are in the source, the braces are mine. BB
>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
 -Sam'l Clemens

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