LINGUIST List 11.2301

Wed Oct 25 2000

Qs: English Adjectives,Norms, Taboo, and Euphemism

Editor for this issue: James Yuells <jameslinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Nancy Salay, Morphological Rules for English Adjective Construction
2. Lilli S Hamilton, Norms, Taboo, and Euphemism in a Particular Speech Community

Hello,

I would be very grateful for information on resources, on or off-line, of
english adjective morpheme trees.

Thanks in advance,

Nancy Salay
NL Dept, Cycorp, Inc.

Dear Linguists;

Here is some more information on my paper. Hopefully someone can help me:

I am researching the language choices and patterns of a local bar. I am 
looking to find whether there are any shared norms or dialects among the 
varying personalities of the bar, and the use of taboo or euphemistic language 
common to the bar/bar and restaurant business in general.

I have started with two discussion questions to springboard thought;1) Do 
taboo and euphemism serve any socially useful purpose, and 2) Is there a 
useful distinction to be made between 'euphemistic language' and 
'politically correct' language. I will be attempting to answer these questions, 
in the context of the bar business, as well as prove that the bar and restaurant 
business is a speech community in and of itself.

So far, I have two books that have proved to be interesting but not 
necessarily that useful: Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language by 
Robin Dunbar and Language, the Basics (second edition) by R.L. Trask. 
I have also begun constructing a questionnaire to be given to the bar patrons 
and workers.

If anyone can help me or direct me to any books,etc. that might be helpful, I 
would be greatly appreciative.

Thank you again for your time,

Lilli Hamilton
Graduate Student
SUNY Brockport