Agnostic (non-theological)

[Scot LaFaive]

Attributing the neutral characteristic Switzerland to someone does seem more
readily available within my own lexicon, but I've never considered using
"agnostic" in non-theological ways.

Scot

On Feb 4, 2008 8:51 PM, David Donnell <David.Donnell at earthlink.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       David Donnell <David.Donnell at EARTHLINK.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Agnostic (non-theological)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Similarly, I recently heard a twentysomething South African woman (my
> South Af wife's niece) use the expression "I'm Switzerland"...
> meaning, mas o menos, 'I'm agnostic' on a
> certain issue.
>
> I had never heard that one before... But apparently it's well-known
> (according to the experts at Google University, at least).
>
> DD
> Missourian @ NYC
>
> >---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >-----------------------
> >Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >Poster:       Scot LaFaive <scotlafaive at GMAIL.COM>
> >Subject:      Agnostic (non-theological)
>
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >Today on "All Things Considered" (NPR), in response to Robert Siegel
> saying
> >he was a New York Giants fan, Michele Norris said she was "agnostic in
> this
> >case," i.e. not claiming allegiance to either the Giants or the Patriots.
> >
> >Scot
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------
> >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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