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Ask-A-Linguist - Message details
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Subject:
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Regionalisms related to aggressiveness
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Question:
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Dear Linguists,
In Gender in Canada, 3rd Edition, by Adie Nelson, an argument about how language is used to emphasize positive male aggressiveness and negative female aggressiveness states that the term ''Pissing Match'' has positive connotations, when used to describe an argument among men. I have not heard it used in a positive context in colloquial speech in western Canada, specifically Edmonton, Alberta, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Could it be that this is an eastern phenomena? Dr. Nelson works out of the University of Waterloo in south-central Canada.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
Sincerely,
Richard Engelhardt
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Reply:
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We have the concept of "pissing match" or "pissing contest" in the eastern/standard
U.S. vernacular, but I usually hear the negative connotation.
That is, a pissing match to me is a contest/argument whose sole purpose is to
determine who is higher is the alpha male totem pole heirarchy.
There are expressions which refer to the admiration for someone able to establish
this kind dominance or effectively display masculine aggression (usually "he has
some cojones/gonads/steel balls...."), but pissing match seems to emphasize the
ancient ritual which may or may not be considered relevant in a "civilized" world.
But I can only speak for my socioeconomic niche.
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Reply From:
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Elizabeth J Pyatt
click here to access email
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| Date: |
Oct-13-2009
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Other Replies:
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Re: Regionalisms related to aggressiveness
Suzette Haden Elgin
(Oct-12-2009)
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Re: Regionalisms related to aggressiveness
Susan Fischer
(Oct-12-2009)
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