Cognitive dissonance

[Wilson Gray]

Damn! Nobody ever explained it to me that way, before! Jon, you my nigga! ;-)

-Wilson

On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 8:29 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Cognitive dissonance
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm familiar with "peckerwood" as an insulting, biracial South Midland
> synonym for "poor white trash."  It can also be a dismissive term that can
> be used affectionately
> That sense may be restricted to whites.
>
> Cf. the earlier, similar (and more widespread) evolution of "rascal,"
> "scamp, "bugger," etc.
>
> JL
>
> On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 1:28 AM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Cognitive dissonance
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> ------
>>
>> In the course of a cartoon flick that I was watching the other day,
>> the Northern-speaking barmaid says to an adult thalidomide baby that
>> consists only of a head with a torso:
>>
>> "Well, aren't *you* a streamlined little _peckerwood_!"
>>
>> Huh?!
>>
>> In a discussion of the local dialect with another, *white*, East
>> Texan, he noted that _peckerwood_ is used WRT cuteness. I.e,. you
>> might painch a toddler's "jaw" and say something like,
>>
>> "My land, aren't *you* just the cutest little _peckerwood_!"
>>
>>
>> How?! Say what?!
>>
>> "Peckerwood" is normal Southern for "woodpecker," of course. But, in
>> ETX BE, "peckerwood" is considered to be an *insulting* term for a
>> white person! Far stronger than some phony, made-up, Yankee-Negro term
>> like "hunky"/"honky," because it "keeps it real." Didn't anybody sit
>> down and ask himself, "What would a good, insulting term for a white
>> person be?" and end up recycling an obsolete word invented *by* white
>> people for use against other *white* people!
>>
>> Yet, the white people whom blacks are supposed to find the word
>> insulting not only trivially apply the word to themselves, but they
>> also even consider it to be rather sweet!
>>
>> A brother just can't catch a break!
>>
>> Well, youneverknow!
>>
>> -Wilson
>> =96=96=96
>> All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"=96=96a strange complaint t=
> o
>> come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
>> =96Mark Twain
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>
>
> --=20
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



--
-Wilson
–––
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.
–Mark Twain

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