Re: The "prison IS university" metaphor - a review

On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:43:41 +0000 (GMT), David
<nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>> I'm not going to have a go at it because it was well-covered here
>> earlier.  
>
>No it wasn't.

"Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the
automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes."

"Flying Circus"  Episode 29

>> As far as folk understanding me, I suspect that 90% of the people who
>> read my post understood exactly what I meant and knew the reference.
>> Most of your countrymen who read the post understood because they are
>> good at retaining points covered here.  
>
>90% eh? So that means you're entirely happy for im****tant points you're
>trying to make to go right over the heads of one tenth of the folk
>reading you.

Quite so.  There's a certain percentage of readers that one doesn't
really want to disturb.  Sleeping dogs and all of that.

>> Let me be gentle, here...your "we" is you and some others.  There are
>> many "we" who learn and adjust.  These are people who feel that
>> language and usage work best when we iron out those differences and
>> use mutually understandable terms.  A great deal of what is posted to
>> aue is done to exactly that end.  We - Americans - learn to use the
>> terms that you approve, and you - the elseplace people - learn to use
>> the terms we approve.    
>
>Okay, so why aren't you - Americans - prepared to learn to use the
>terms "Yank" and "Yankee" in the way that we do?

Because we are not there.  However, when we do go there, the
enlightened among us don't challenge words used in the manner in which
you use them.  Newsgroups are neither here nor there, though, and some
of us try to inform otherpondians of our own conventions in speech.
Some resist such attempts as you so ably demonstrate.

>> If you don't choose to learn and adapt, that's your prerogative. 
>> But, if not, why bother participating in this group?
>
>Which sentiment answers my last question: Because you - Americans - are
>arrogant and condescending, expecting all others to give way to you;

Good show, old chap!  Frankly, I anticipated the "Americans are
arrogant" bit much earlier in your writing.  I commend your restraint.

>you can't even acknowledge that this thread is crossposted to ucle -
>UK.culture.language.english -

I recognize this.  However, "ucle" is not like "demon.local" and I
expect more from your group.

>Your response does nothing but confirm and strengthen the correctness
>of the way I use the words "Yank" and "Yankee".

I've always thought there should be an expression for this.  How about
"If you can't beat 'em, dig in"?


--

Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida