LINGUIST List 3.197

Thu 27 Feb 1992

Disc: Lexicon, Speech Therapy, Loss of -ed

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Directory

1. Evan Antworth, Re: Lexicon construction software
2. , Acquisition
3. Gregory Ward, m*a*s*h potatoes

>I would like information on lexicon build-up software.

There's DIMAP (DIctionary MAintenance Programs), available from
CL Research, 20239 Lea Pond Place, Gaithersburg MD 20879, USA.
I got a demo from Compuserve. (No evaluation or recommendation,
just information!)

I've already replied direct, but wish also to
reply publicly to the posting from jareaukcc.uky.edu
which included the following about a speech therapist:

"Apparently these people have no knowledge of the
characteristics of American speech varieties and are
willing to place the label 'handicapped' or 'inferior'
on those who speak certain of these varieties."

If by 'these people' he means all speech therapists,
I take great exception to this sweeping comment. The
suggestion that any given therapist would make the
judgement this particular therapist made, let alone
blithely 'label' the child 'handicapped' is offensive
and untrue. And no therapist would ever under *any*
circumstances describe a child as 'inferior'. The
views he expresses are certainly not applicable to the
profession in Britain, and I am quite certain they do
American therapists an equal disservice.

Alison Murray
University of Wales, Cardiff.

George Fowler discusses `mashed' and `iced' as examples of prenominal
adjectives that {are losing/have lost} their past participial ending
before `potatoes' and `tea', respectively. May I add to that list the
following (attasted) items:

roast beef/pork
corn beef
steam clams
ice cream/milk
pop corn

I hope the diagnosticians in question didn't take any of their
subjects out to lunch...

Gregory Ward
wardpico.ling.nwu.edu

p.s. Speaking of mash(-ed), I remember fondly my favorite waitress at
Lil Pete's (a Greek luncheonette in Philadelphia), who always asked if
I wanted `fries or mash' with my broil(-ed) chicken.