STI

[Jonathan Lighter]

My understanding was that "VD" had to go because it sounded like something
bad. I mean morally bad. If you had "VD" you were loathsome. (And remember,
God knows what "venereal" means, unless you're a radical Whorfian and deduce
the whole phrase is a slur on  sex, love, and Venus.)

But with an "STD" you're not loathsome. You're just unlucky, and you
maintain that great self-esteem!  People respect you.

And with an "STI," you're already almost well!

JL



On Sat, May 14, 2011 at 12:57 AM, Douglas G. Wilson <douglas at nb.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>
> Subject:      Re: STI
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Kids these days!
>
> The appropriate term is "social disease", isn't it?
>
> -- Doug Wilson
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



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