"Word" words?

[LanDi Liu]

Well, Heidi Harley wrote something about it here:
http://158.130.17.5/~myl/languagelog/archives/004317.html
http://heideas.blogspot.com/2007/03/third-annual-simpsons-st-patricks-day.html

And I seem to remember someone else writing something more about that
later on LL, but I can't seem to find it.  Ben?

Randy

On Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 9:50 PM, Guy Letourneau <guy1656 at opusnet.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>  Poster:       Guy Letourneau <guy1656 at OPUSNET.COM>
>  Subject:      "Word" words?
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  Richard Lederer wrote of "word words," which are nouns spoken twice to
>  indicate that what is meant is the thing in its most ordinary instance.
>  For example "tea-tea" might be spoken to contrast from ice tea, or
>  exceptionally exotic preparations.
>
>  Some may remember an air freshener ad which named the product an "air
>  conditioner" in which an exasperated housewife explains "it's not an air
>  conditioner - air conditioner, it's an air CONDITIONER."
>
>  Anyways, my wife was wondering about writers who append an English
>  equivalent after a borrowed word. She said she had read of a woman who
>  'wore a kimono robe and an obi belt.' 'Robe' and 'belt' seemed redundant
>  to her.
>
>  Any comments? Is there a katana sword, an ushanka hat, or borscht soup?
>
>  - GLL
>
>
>  PS: And a joke for all:
>
>  Knock knock.
>
>  Who's there?
>
>  Objective case.
>
>  Objective case who?
>
>  No, objective case *whom*.
>
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>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



--
Randy Alexander
Jilin City, China

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