Klarinet Archive - Posting 000873.txt from 2001/05

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Biting?
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 03:05:48 -0400

S.S.

Please tell us, is this your real name?

From: "Shouryunus Sarcasticii" <jnohe@-----.Edu>
Subject: Re: [kl] Biting?

>The words bite/eat/suck/blow
> are kind of interchangable, used to toss out insults ("Bite me," etc) or
> to denote that something is not cool. ("That parking ticket was HOW much?
> Wow, that bites.")

How on earth is anybody outside America going to understand this. I will
withdraw if you can say honestly that you agree.
But I`m pleased that you know how to use them.

> > I would like to see more Americans use and write English in a way which
can
> > be understood by everyone on the list.
>
> How am I to know which phrases are not used by the British? Am I just
> supposed to assume that EVERY possible phrase I mention is foreign? I
> would spend more time defining the material in my posts than actually
> coming up with contributing material.

This is a childish comment. I <do> spend time, and into the bargain
contribute quite well I reckon.

> > If it is an American "site" then
> > that is no excuse to use exclusively an Americanisation of the English
> > Language.

I correct myself. An "international" site based in America.
>
> Excuse? That's like saying I have no excuse for talking the way I talk,
> and I should alter my speech for every person I meet. I should be
> translating my posts (all of them) into the necessary romantic languages
> for our South American listmates and our continental European members as
> well (which, by the way, I didn't see you complaining when they post back
> and forth over the list in their own dialects).

Come on now, you know very well that we have to try to accomodate everyone.
That means accommodating you too S.S., So do you not agree therefore that
our own idiosyncrasies have to take a back seat somewhat?

> I posed a joke, a play on words, to another list member. If you didn't
> get it, all you had to say was, "I didn't get it." No need to beat me
> over the head with a big book and point the damning finger of
> Americanzation at me. If you have a problem with American english, fight
> your crusade elsewhere, and if you have a problem with the way I talk,
> take it up with ME, instead of casually casting judgement on all the
> Americans on the list.

Yes, I know it was a humourous interchange, but I am involved ain`t I, `cos
I was one of the prime contributors in the article on biting, so why don`t
YOU talk to ME (correction - us all) concurrently, coherently, so that we
are able to unravel your drift without too much hassle.
And if I have a problem with American English S.S., where else am I able to
"take it up" other than with America.
The book by the way was only a very tiny one - - - - - my reprimand was only
a "dig in the ribs" with a :<) - is that phrase OK?

Best,

Tony W.

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