SC - Language (was: .food riddle and query)

[Par Leijonhufvud]

On Sat, 11 Dec 1999 cclark at vicon.net wrote:

> The dictionary doesn't make anything right. It only describes the language
> as it is used or abused. At most, it will sometimes designate certain terms
> as regional, colloquial, dialect, or slang. Even if a given usage is a
> blight on the language, it still belongs in the dictionary if it is current

I am told that the question of to what extent linguistics is normative
or descriptive can lead to Cuskynole-grade debates in some circles. A
good dictionary will tell you the origins of a term or usage, and you
can use that as a guide to your personal usage.

/UlfR

- -- 
Par Leijonhufvud                                   parlei at algonet.se
Subtlety: the art of saying what you want to say and
getting out of range before it is understood.

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