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Indeed.
We've been over this before, many times - just not always with
these specific phrases.
The important point is that we absolutely, positively,
_line-in-the-sand_ do NOT need to cater to people who
choose to make up things about which to be insulted
and offended. These people are the Professionally Offended.
They would, if they could, make their livings by:
OFFENSE THEFT - the taking of offense where none is offered.
In point of fact, we have a duty to the language to resist
the depredations of such persons, or very soon we will have
no language left at all - every possible utterance will have
been deemed 'offensive' to somebody.
(Gosh, Kevin, don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel... :-)
Do we really want to be dictated to by those who mistake what
they hear or read, then snigger at their erroneous
interpretations... or equally, do we want to submit to prudes
who take the bogus interpretations and run with them?
Kevin
> -----Original Message-----
From: Samuel Wright
> Dori,
>
> Wikipedia is covers RoT quite nicely
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb) but does not seem to have
> much information on DaPS
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_and_pony_show) regarding sexist and
> racist language (although you could file it under cruelty to
> animals?).
>
> I don't know (m)any people who would be insulted by Rule of Thumb,
> even if they knew its origins.
>
> S
>
> On 13/03/07, Dori Green <dgreen -at- associatedbrands -dot- com> wrote:
> > Everybody who makes their living using language really
> should take it upon
> > themselves to become informed about sexist and racist
> language, and delete
> > it from their vocabulary.
> >
> > I've recently seen "rule of thumb" and "dog and pony show"
> right here on
> > this list. Look 'em up, and cut 'em out.
> >
> > It's the recipient who determines whether or not the
> message is clear -- or
> > hurtful. When we have been informed that certain words and
> phrases are
> > hurtful, we need to stop using them.
> >
> > Dori Green
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