[Ads-l] X snob shift

[Jonathan Lighter]

> In this usage, I don=E2=80=99t think there is a pejorative sense.

Yes and no.  By adopting the well-understood pejorative term, the disdained
group asserts its power.

JL

On Mon, Oct 26, 2015 at 2:52 AM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>
wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      X snob shift
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snob =
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snob>) has a rundown on the word snob, =
> and it says that both definitions are pejorative.=20
>
> The Oxford Dictionary site =
> (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/snob =
> <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/snob>) =
> and Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/snob =
> <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/snob>) do not go into such detail but =
> pretty much agree with each other in that they say that a snob considers =
> themself superior to others, either in taste or status.
>
> The use of =E2=80=9CX snob,=E2=80=9D however, seems to be different in =
> connotation.
>
> Earlier this year, I heard a customer at a coffee shop declare herself =
> to be a =E2=80=9Cscone snob=E2=80=9D and today, I saw an announcement =
> for a professional get-together that included the words =E2=80=9Cbeer =
> snobs.=E2=80=9D
>
> In this usage, I don=E2=80=99t think there is a pejorative sense.
>
> Because of this loss of negative connotation, I think the word can =
> simply mean having discerning taste or being really, really into =
> something, and not necessarily superior.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Formerly of Seattle, WA
>
> Learn Ainu! https://sites.google.com/site/aynuitak1/home =
> <https://sites.google.com/site/aynuitak1/home>=
>
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